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I THOLK'rllT YOU MIGHT LIKE SOME CHOCOLATES” 


Letty and the Twins 


BY HELEN SHERMAN GRIFFITH 

AUTHOR OF 

LETTY OF THE CIRCUS ** 



THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA 

MCMX 


<\ \/ 


OK 


COPYEIGHr 
1910 BY 
THE PENN 
PUBUSHING 
COMPANY 


Letty and the Twins 


€C^A265 I.67 


7 


Introduction 

Those who have read “Letty of the Circus 
will remember that Letty Grey was a little 
city girl whose brother was a member of a 
troupe of acrobats. When it became neces- 
sary to help her mother who was ill Letty 
herself became a member of the troupe and 
joined them in their performances at a sum- 
mer resort. One day she bravely saved the 
lives of two little children, Jane and Christo- 
pher, who were threatened by an angry bear. 
This was the beginning of a warm friendship 
which is seen ripening in the present book. 
Letty leaves the circus and finds a new 
mother, and her sunny nature wins for her 
many friends. Something more about her 
will be found in ^'Letty's New Home.^^ 


3 





Contents 


I. 

Arriving at the Farm 



9 

11 . 

SuNNYCREST 



24 

III. 

A Sprained Ankle 



41 

IV. 

Green Apples . 



50 

V. 

The Circus 



66 

VI. 

Letty 



85 

VII. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones Sees Part of 



THE Circus 



99 

III. 

Jane’s Idea 



112 

IX. 

Happy Days 



126 

X. 

Thistledown 



139 

XI. 

Christopher Goes for the Mail 

156 

XII. 

Letty Sings a Lullaby 



168 

XIII. 

The Tulip’s Dream . 



180 

XIV. 

Where is Christopher? 



195 

XV. 

Letty’s Future 



208 

XVI. 

Untying the Apron-Strings 


221 

XVII. 

Good News 



232 

XVIIL 

A Cablegram 



246 

XIX. 

Symptoms of Measles 



258 

XX. 

Old Scenes Again 



277 

XXI. 

Conclusion 

. 


292 


6 



Illustrations 


I Thought You Might Like Some 

Chocolates ” Frontispiece 

They Giggled at Everything the Clown Said 831/ 

Under a Large Tree in the Garden . . . . 1 35 

Don't You Worry, Little Girl ” .... 19/'^ 

“ Now Look Up at Me” 242 


Letty and the Twins 


7 




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I 




Letty and the Twins 


CHAPTER I 

AEKIVING AT THE FARM 

^*0h, Kit, isn't it just fun!" cried Jane, 
her rosy, chubby face beaming. How fast 
we are going 1 " 

“ Ho," exclaimed Christopher, ** it's not so 
fast. Not so awfully fast, is it, grandfather? 
I'd like to go about sixty miles an hour. 
That would be going for you." 

** Oh, Kit I " breathed Jane in mingled awe 
and admiration. 

Jane and Christopher — or Kit as he was 
generally called to distinguish him from his 
father, whose name also was Christopher — 
were twins, and so far along the course of 
their short lives had shared everything, from 
peppermint drops to ideas. The stern fact 
that Christopher was a boy and Jane a girl 
was just beginning faintly to dawn upon 
9 


lo LETTT AND THE TWINS 


them — a state demonstrated by Jane’s un- 
qualified admiration of everything her brother 
said and did, and by his occasional condescen- 
sion of manner toward her. 

Jane leaned back in her parlor car seat 
hugging her doll — a wonderful new one with 
flaxen hair turned up with a comb and 
dressed like a lady ” — quite content with 
the rate at which the train was speeding 
through the green fields and villages ; while 
Christopher bobbed about from seat to seat, 
trying the view from each side of the train in 
turn and wishing he could look out on both 
sides at once. 

There were very few passengers in the par- 
lor car, for it was early in the season for 
summer visitors to go to the country. Be- 
sides the twins and their grandparents there 
were only three other passengers : two gentle- 
men who were very busy talking and paid no 
attention to any one else, and a sweet-faced 
lady with gray hair who sat at the other end 
of the car and who watched the children with 
great interest. She looked as if she would 
like to make friends with them. 

After a while she took a candy box out of 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM ii 


her satchel and catching the twins’ eyes, 
beckoned to them, holding out the open box. 
Christopher was for bolting down the car aisle 
at once, but Jane caught him back and whis- 
pered something to her grandmother, who 
looked up from her book, exchanged smiles 
with the sweet-faced stranger, bowed and said 

yes ” to Jane. 

I thought you might like some choco- 
lates,” said the lady as the children ap- 
proached. Won’t you sit down there oppo- 
site me ? ” 

‘‘ Thank you,” said Jane politely, and the 
twins tucked themselves side by side into the 
big chair. The lady’s sweet, interested man- 
ner and the chocolates quickly put matters 
upon a friendly footing, and in two minutes 
the children were prattling away as if they 
had known Mrs. Hartwell-Jones (for that, she 
told them, was her name, watching out of the 
corner of her eye as she pronounced it to see 
if it sounded familiar to them) as if they had 
known her all their lives. Their own names, 
age and family history were soon told. 

“Our mother and father have gone to 
Europe for four months,” announced Christo- 


12 LETir AND THE TWINS 


pher importantly. Father had to go on 
business and mother wanted to go with him 
and so 

“ She did not want to go, Kit,” corrected 
Jane. The doctor thought she ought to.” 

Well, she did want to go. How could she 
help wanting to go to Europe ? ” demanded 
Christopher triumphantly. So she and 
father went, and we are to spend the whole 
summer on the farm.” 

The whole summer,” repeated Jane, hap- 
pily. But she swallowed hard as she thought 
of her father and mother off in the middle of 
the ocean on a big ship. 

It^s a real farm,” went on Christopher, 
** with cows and chickens and pigs.” 

“ And horses and dogs and cats,” added 
Jane, the lump in her throat already 
gone. 

Oh, they donT count. You could have 
horses and dogs and cats without having a 
farm,” said Christopher. There are big 
fields where the men plough and cut hay, 
and there must be dozens of cows,” he ex- 
plained to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 

“ And where is this wonderful farm ? ” 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM 13 

'' It's near Hammersmith. We drive there ; 
miles and miles ! ” 

“ The farm is called * Sunnycrest/ " put in 
Jane eagerly, “ because the house — grand- 
father's house — stands up on a hill. The 
farmhouse and stables are down the hill 
across the dearest little creek, where they 
have a dairy and make butter. Huldah lets 
me help sometimes. Huldah cooks for grand- 
mother but she lives at the farm, she and 
Josh." 

Josh is grandfather's * right-hand man,’ 
grandfather calls him. He bosses the whole 
farm and he's awfully nice." 

It all sounds ^ awfully nice,' " said the 
gray-haired lady a little wistfully. I am 
going to Hammersmith, too, only I have to 
stay in the village. Perhaps you will come 
to see me some time ? " 

^‘Yes'm," said Jane politely. ‘‘If grand- 
mother will let us." 

Grandmother herself joined them just then. 
She was afraid that the children might be 
tiring their new friend. She and Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones introduced themselves to each 
other and grandmother sat down in the chair 


14 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

out of which the children, mindful of their 
manners, had tumbled. They stood quietly 
in the aisle for a moment or two, but as 
grandmother would not allow them to have 
any more chocolates and the conversation 
promised to be quite grown up,^’ they ran 
back to their own seats. 

Presently the train slowed down and finally 
came to a stop beside a long, dilapidated plat- 
form with a small, low wooden house. There 
were several sets of tracks branching out from 
this platform in different directions and on 
the platform was a group of people, standing 
about as if waiting for a train. 

What’s the matter, grandfather?” asked 
Christopher a little impatiently. “ I thought 
this train wasn’t going to stop again until we 
got to Hammersmith.” 

The conductor, who was passing through 
the train, heard Christopher’s question and 
stopped obligingly to explain. 

We have to wait for the Mount Pleasant 
train here at the Junction, sonny,” he said. 

It’s a bit late, but we won’t be delayed long. 
Them people,” he added to grandfather, 
pointing through the window to the group on 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM 15 

the platform, “ have been waiting for it ’most 
four hours. They’re a circus troupe.” 

A circus troupe ! A traveling circus — how 
interesting I Jane and Christopher pressed 
eagerly to the window and stared out at 
the small knot of people. There was noth- 
ing remarkable about them except that they 
all looked tired and a little anxious. Jane 
surveyed them thoughtfully. 

Poor people,” she said. I’m sorry they 
have to stand there so long, waiting. They 
look tired. And there’s a baby — oh. Kit ! ” 
She grasped her brother suddenly by the 
sleeve, still peering out through the window. 

Oh, Kit, it is, it is ! ” she exclaimed ex- 
citedly. “ It’s Letty ! ” 

Who, the baby is ? ” asked Christopher 
contemptuously. Do stop clawing me, 
Jane.” 

‘*No, no, the girl holding the baby. Do 
look. Kit. Don’t you see her ? ” 

Jane loosened her hold of Christopher’s 
sleeve to point out a child standing a little 
apart from the waiting group. The girl was 
dressed in a faded, clean frock of pink ging- 
ham and her glossy brown hair was smoothly 


i6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


brushed and braided. Her face was turned 
away from the children, but what they could 
see of it looked thin and sad. She carried a 
jolly, restless, heavy baby in her arms who 
was crowing and holding out its arms toward 
the locomotive. Christopher looked at the 
girl a moment in hesitation. 

“ I don’t believe it’s Letty. But it does 
look some like her,” he added doubtfully. 
“ I wish she would turn around more so I 
could see her face better.” 

As if in answer to his wish the little girl 
did turn just then and looked directly at the 
children. Perhaps she had felt the intentness 
of Jane’s earnest gaze. At sight of the twins 
her face suddenly brightened and she walked 
slowly down the platform toward the car in 
which they were sitting. 

“ It is Letty ! ” exclaimed the twins together 
in great excitement, and they commenced to 
nod and smile with all their might. 

Oh, grandfather, mayn’t we go to the plat- 
form to speak to her? We haven’t seen her 
in three whole years ! ” cried Jane eagerly. 

We thought she was lost.” 

Speak to whom ? ” asked grandfather in 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM 17 

great surprise, looking out of the window over 
the children's shoulders. 

Why, to Letty. See, there she is. She's 
the little girl who saved our lives from the 
bear. Hurry, before the train starts," ex- 
plained Christopher, jumping up from his 
seat. 

He and Jane rushed pell-mell down the 
aisle to the door, followed by Mr. Baker. 

What is it ? What has happened ? " asked 
grandmother in some alarm, looking up from 
her conversation with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 

What are they going to see ? " 

They say that the little girl is outside who 
saved their lives from the attack of the mad 
bear that time at Willow Grove Park." 

Really?" exclaimed grandmother much 
interested. “ Then I should like to talk to 
her, too." 

She rose from her seat, but paused to tell 
the story to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 

It happened three years ago. My daugh- 
ter-in-law had taken the children to some sort 
of entertainment out at Willow Grove. A 
trained bear, driven mad by the heat, they 
supposed, broke loose from its keeper and 


i8 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


charged the audience. Jane and Christopher 
were sitting in the very front row and the 
bear was almost upon them when this little 
girl — one of the performers, an acrobat, I 
think — -jumped down from the stage and 
threw a cover over the bear’s head so that he 
was blinded and his trainer captured him 
easily enough.” 

“ What great presence of mind,” said Mrs. 
Hart well- Jones. I should like to see the 
little girl, too.” 

“ Then let us step outside. My daughter did 
go to see them at once. The child’s mother 
was quite a lady but in most reduced circum- 
stances ; and she went again later, meaning to 
help them, but learned that the mother had 
died and the little girl had been taken away 
by friends, she was never able to find out 
where. If this is the child, I should like to 
do something for her.” 

In the meantime, Jane and Christopher 
had rushed to the door of the car, their faces 
beaming with excitement and delight. The 
girl had transferred the baby she was carrying 
hurriedly to its mother and stood watching 
the door with an air of shy expectancy. 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM 19 

“ Oh, Letty, Letty, to think that we have 
found you again ! exclaimed Jane, kissing 
her heartily, while Christopher capered about 
them in glee. 

'‘Find me? Did you ever look for me 
asked the little girl, her face lighting up with 
pleasure. 

“ Why, of course we did,^’ answered Christo- 
pher. “Didn’t we say we’d come again? 
We got your address from the boarding-house 
at Willow Grove and we went to see you — 
but you had gone away.” 

“ We were so sorry for you,” whispered 
Jane, slipping her hand into Letty’s. 

Poor Letty turned away to hide the tears 
that sprang to her eyes. She was greatly 
changed, poor child, in those three years. 
Her face had lost all its pretty roundness and 
her eyes seemed too large for the rest of her 
face, they were so wide and sad. 

“ Have you been with the circus all this 
time ? ” asked Christopher with great interest. 

“ Yes,” she answered sadly. “ There hasn’t 
seemed anything else to do. My — my brother 
Ben died too, last year,” she added with a 
little sob. 


20 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Oh, I am so sorry — so, so sorry ! repeated I 
Jane softly. Poor Letty, I wish you could 
come with us.^^ 

We’re going to the farm to spend the 
summer,” explained Christopher. Our 
grandfather’s farm. Don’t you remember 
we told you about it ? ” 

Indeed I do remember. How happy you 
both must be.” 

“ We are. And wouldn’t you like to come 
too?” asked Jane impulsively. 

Of course I should like it, if I could,” and 
Letty’s voice grew very wistful. 

Just then a long train, with bell jangling 
and escaping steam hissing, rolled up to the 
opposite platform with a loud rumble. The 
waiting group of people hastened to get on it. 

Letty, Letty!” called some one sharply. 

“ Come at once.” 

“Oh, Letty,” cried Jane, “must you go? 
Please don’t. We don’t want to lose you 
again ! ” 

“ Letty, you’ll miss the train,” called a 
gruff masculine voice, and added, “ Hurry up, 
now,” in a tone not to be disobeyed. 

The conductor of the waiting train, his eye 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM 21 


on his watch, emphasized the need of haste by 
shouting All aboard very peremptorily. 

Letty stopped and kissed Jane and then 
bounded across the platform with all her old 
grace and agility. 

Write to me. Please write to me I ” 
shrieked Jane after her. 

The twins waved their hands frantically as 
Letty turned for a farewell nod, and watched 
the train pull out. 

We don’t even know where she’s gone,” 
wailed Jane. We’ll never see her again ! ” 
Mrs. Baker stepped from the doorway of 
the parlor car, with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
behind her. 

Has the little girl gone?” she asked re- 
gretfully. “ I wanted to see her.” 

She’s gone,” Jane replied disconsolately. 

And we don’t even know where.” 

Dear me, how very unsatisfactory,” 
sighed grandmother. I should have liked 
so much to do something for her.” 

Then they all went back into the car again 
as their own train began to move. 

From the fleeting glimpse I had of her, I 
should say that the child had a rather unusual 


22 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


face,” remarked Mrs. Hartwell-Jones thought- 
fully, as the two ladies seated themselves 
again. Can you tell me anything more 
about her, Mrs. Baker?” 

“ Janey,” said grandmother later, when 
they were all making ready to leave the train, 
can’t you guess who Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
really is? Don’t you remember her 
name? ” 

Jane shook her head. 

Why, she is the lady who wrote that 
lovely book you got last Christmas, of which 
you are so fond.” 

‘‘ The ^ Jimmie-Boy ’ book ? ” asked Jane in 

an awestruck voice. But that is by ” 

Opening her own miniature dress-suit case, of 
which she was immensely proud, Jane got out 
the book in question and spelled out the 
author’s name : Mary C. Hartwell-Jones.” 

“ Exactly,” said grandmother with great 
satisfaction. That is her whole name, ^ Mary 
C. Hartwell-Jones.’ She has taken rooms in 
Mrs. Parsons’ house at Hammersmith for the 
whole summer, and she expects to write an- 
other book ! ” 

Oh ! ” exclaimed Jane, much impressed. 


ARRIVING AT THE FARM 23 

'' And she asked us to come and see her, 
grandmother/^ 

Jane stared hard at the lady with whom 
she had chattered so freely and familiarly a 
short time before and whom she now regarded 
with the greatest possible awe. Then, cross- 
ing to Christopher, she told him the wonder- 
ful news. And from that time on Mrs. Hart- 
well- Jones was known to the two children as 
The lady who wrote books.” 


CHAPTER II 


SUNNYCKEST 

At Hammersmith a big, old-fashioned 
carryall stood beside the station platform 
and behind it a light spring wagon, the two 
drivers standing side by side on the platform, 
watching the descending passengers anx- 
iously. The older man was Joshua Adams, 
the head man on grandfather’s farm. Grand- 
mother always called him Joshua, but to 
every one else he was Josh. His companion, 
Jo Perkins, a young stable boy familiarly 
known as Perk,” was new on the place since 
the twins’ last visit, and they did not know 
him. They eyed him curiously as they shook 
hands heartily with Joshua, who was an old 
and long-tried friend. 

My, my, you’ve growed sence I see ye,” 
exclaimed Joshua, standing the children off 
and looking at them in mock amazement. 

Most big enough to be giants in a side- 
show.” 


24 


SUNNTCREST 25 

** Oh, shucks,” said Christopher, squirming 
with embarrassment. “Has Juno got any 
new pups? ” 

“ Well, you have growed, ^pon my word. 
Now I leave it to Miss Jane if you haven't. 
Hain't you, Miss Jane? And you're both of 
you dressed different now, so 't I can tell ye 
apart,'' he added teasingly. 

Of course Joshua had seen the children 
many times since the day Christopher had 
been promoted to trousers, but he never lost a 
chance of reminding the boy that he had 
passed through a petticoat period. 

Perk felt a little bit out of this intimate 
party. He stood awkwardly in the back- 
ground, fingering his hat and winking 
gravely at Christopher whenever he caught 
his eye. Grandfather bustled up presently, 
followed by the station agent wheeling the 
trunks on a truck, which Perk proceeded to 
pile on the wagon. Joshua untied the team 
and mounted to the front seat of the big car- 
riage. 

“ Where's Nelly Gray ? '' asked Jane, miss- 
ing the gray mare with the white star on her 
forehead. 


26 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Why, Nelly, she’s out to pastur’ for 
a while. Got a nail in her foot.” 

“ Oh, poor horsey I How it must have 
hurt ! Did you get it out? ” 

Why of course, greeney,” interposed Chris- , 
topher knowingly, else the horse would 
have died, wouldn’t it. Josh? ” 

Jane climbed into the carriage and sat 
down opposite her grandparents, but Christo- 
pher hung back. 

I want to go on the wagon. Mayn’t I, 
please ? ” 

Oh, yes,” consented grandfather good- 
naturedly, if you promise to sit still and i 
not ask to drive.” 

Christopher avoided Jane’s reproachful : 
look and capered off joyfully. Jane felt hurt 
at being deserted by her twin so soon, but she 
knew that Christopher was anxious to make 
Perk’s acquaintance. 

I s’pose boys can’t help likin’ other boys 
a little,” she reflected philosophically, and 
hugged her doll comfortably. 

In spite of her nine years and her brother’s 
teasing, Jane persisted in playing with dolls 
and had a large, well-beloved family. 


SUNNTCREST 


27 

'' Say, Tm going to ride home with you,'’ 
announced Christopher, climbing up on the 
high wagon seat. Shall I hold the horse 
for you while you strap on the trunks ? ” 

“ He’s hitched,” drawled Perk with a 
twinkle in his eye. “ But I guess ’twon’t 
hurt if you want to hold the lines.” 

Oh, I didn’t notice that he was tied,” said 
Christopher, a bit crestfallen, and feeling his 
youth. ** I’d like to drive,” he added with 
reviving spirit as Perk strapped on the last 
trunk and mounted to his seat (swinging up 
over the wheel after the horse had started, to 
Christopher’s keen envy), but grandfather 
said I mustn’t ask. But I could. A friend 
of my father’s has an automobile and he let 
me steer it one day, oh, a long way.” 

Perk was distinctly impressed by this state- 
ment and dropped some of the patronage 
from his manner. Perk had never even seen 
an automobile. 

As they drove down the length of the vil- 
lage street, Christopher was on the lookout 
for changes. It was two years since he had 
visited in Hammersmith, which left plenty 
of time for improvements. Each new build- 


28 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


ing or alteration had to be remarked upon to 
Perk, for Christopher^s tongue would never 
stay quiet. Jane declared once that it wagged 
in his sleep. 

I see somebody else has got the black- 
smith’s forge. Mr. Parsons used to run it.” 

Yes, but Mr. Parsons is too tony now to 
shoe horses. He makes wagons an’ keeps 
summer boarders.” 

Hello, Jones has got a partner. My, but 
they used to have good sarsaparilla there,” 
exclaimed Christopher, smacking his lips. 

They do still,” answered Perk, smacking 
his. 

I’ll treat you some time. I’m to have 
fifteen cents a week pocket money all sum- 
mer, an’ so’s Jane. Hi, there’s a new store. 
Say, it’s a dandy.” 

It’s a newspaper office up-stairs. Down- 
stairs they have a store where nothin’ costs 
more’n ten cents ; and lots of things cost only 
five. Ain’t that a queer sort of store ? ” 

“ Not so queer as I’ve seen. Why, they’ve 
got a store in the city where everything costs 
ninety-nine cents. My mother’d never let 
me buy there, but they had mighty pretty 


SUNNTCREST 


29 

things in the windows. Painted plates and 
things. Lots of people go there because they 
think iPs so much cheaper than a dollar. 
Aren^t some people silly ? 

They had turned out of the village by this 
time into the country road which led to 
Sunnycrest. 

Do you play marbles ? asked Christo- 
pher, patting a bag of beloved alleys in his 
trousers pocket. 

** Naw — that^s a kid^s game,^^ said Perk 
contemptuously. He was feeling a trifle sore 
over the fact that this boy, so much younger 
than he, had ridden in an automobile and 
had seen a ninety-nine-cent store. 

Christopher withdrew his hand suddenly 
from his pocket. 

“Yes, isnT it?^^ he agreed quickly. Then, 
lest Perk should have heard the rattle of the 
marbles he said carelessly : “ I play with Jane 
sometimes — to amuse her. And there^s a boy 
lives in our street that coaxes me to have a 
game with him once in a while. I do it to 
please him ^cause he^s lame, but it never seems 
fair to play for keeps with him. He^s only 
eight and a half.” 


30 LETrr AND THE TWINS 

Christopher hauled the bag of marbles out 
of his pocket and displayed them indiffer- 
ently, as if they were spoils. But all the time 
his heart thumped guiltily at the white lie he 
was acting, for up to the present moment he 
had loved the game of marbles and had looked 
upon it as a manly sport. 

** Gee, did you win all them ? They’re 
beauties,” exclaimed Perk in admiration, 
transferring the reins to one hand in order to 
examine the different marbles. 

“ No, not exactly all,” admitted Christopher, 
“ some I had. And some I traded,” he added, 
thrusting the bag back into his pocket. 

Hum. Want to swap knives ? ” 

Christopher’s heart sank. His father had 
presented him with a very wonderful, five- 
bladed knife as a farewell gift. Christopher 
had not even whittled with it yet. The idea 
of parting with it hurt. He drew it from his 
pocket with mingled pride and concern. He 
did not want to appear unmanly, but he was 
quite sure that Perk could have nothing half 
so good to trade. 

But Perk saw the value of the knife and 
was square enough to refuse to take any ad- 


SUNNTCREST 


31 

vantages. He admired it even more extrava- 
gantly than he had done the marbles. 

Of course you don't want to swap some- 
thing that was a present," he said. 'T wouldn't 
be treating your daddy right." 

“ You can borrow it whenever you want," 
replied Christopher gratefully. 

Presently Perk called Christopher's atten- 
tion to several flaming posters that decorated 
the rail fences on either side of the road. 

There's a circus cornin' to town next 
week," he said. Guess it's going to be a 
pretty good show." 

Oh, what bully fun I " cried Christopher. 

We know a little circus girl," and he told 
the story of Letty and the bear. Together 
they studied the bills as they passed, compar- 
ing notes as to their opinion of the different 
feats advertised and choosing which side- 
shows they would like best to see. 

This amiable conversation occupied them 
all the rest of the drive. 

Sunnycrest was a big white house on the 
top of a ridge. In front, except for a wide 
square of green lawn just before the house, 
the grounds sloped so steeply that terraces 


32 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

had been made every few yards, and at the 
bottom ran a delightful little brook. At the 
bottom of the hill were the farmhouse, barn, 
chicken and cow-houses and, where the brook 
curved and ran through a shallow, cemented 
basin, the spring-house and dairy. Behind 
the house was a big orchard and beyond 
stretched fields of grain and hay. 

Christopher jumped down from the wagon 
almost before it stopped and rushed into the 
kitchen where Jane’s bobbed head could be 
seen, topped with a big pink bow. Huldah 
the cook was another old and very dear friend 
of the children’s. 

“ Hullo, Huldah. Got any ginger cakes ? ” 
shouted Christopher. My stomach just 
aches for one of your spiced ginger cakes. 
Haven’t had one for two years, you know.” 

I’m afraid your stomach will ache still 
more before you are through,” mildly observed 
grandmother, who had followed him in. 

But she did not forbid his eating the cakes, 
even though supper was almost ready. That 
is one of the privileges of growing old enough 
to be a grandmother. 

The two horses had brought the carriage 


SUNNTCREST 


33 

home at a much quicker rate than the heavily 
loaded wagon could travel and Jane had 
already explored the whole place in her quiet, 
energetic way. She had learned all the news 
regarding live stock new and old and had 
petted all her favorites. Dora the cat was 
specially friendly and Jane was convinced 
that the little animal remembered her from 
her former visit, two years before. 

I think that^s quite remarkable in a cat, 
don^t you, grandmother ? she said. “ Now, 
if it was Juno, I shouldn’t be so surprised. 
Dogs always remember people. But with 
cats, it’s different.” 

There were no kittens at present, but 
Huldah described past families with much 
detail. She had kept a written account of 
the color and name of each kitten and its fate. 
Most of the kittens had been given away or 
disposed of in their early infancy. Some, 
grown to cat-hood, disported themselves about 
the stables with a serene indifference to the 
house privileges of their mamma, and with a 
keen taste for rats — certainly not inherited 
from her. Dora was far too aristocratic to 
care for any food less appetizing than fresh 


34 LETTY AND THE TWINS 

milk and bits of cooked meat, cut into dainty 
morsels. 

Juno had four new puppies, dear little fuzzy 
balls of fur ; and there were two new calves — 
with such thin wabbly legs and big, scared 
eyes — in the barnyard. Six patiently setting 
hens promised dozens of fluffy chicks before 
long, and a brood of ducklings swam in the 
stable pond. 

Jane had taken in all these marvels and her 
little brain was busy choosing names for the 
new puppies while grandmother washed her 
face and tidied her hair for supper. 

She gave Christopher the news as they 
munched ginger cakes together. Jane had 
not thought to ask for the cakes but when they 
came she ate almost as many as Christopher. 

The pups are awfully cunning,” she said 
patronizingly. And I know just where 
Juno keeps them. Til take you to see them 
in the morning.” 

“ Huh, I can find them myself. I^m going 
now. And I choose to name two of ^em.” 

They’re all named ; every single one. 
And you can’t go to see them now, ’cause 
supper’s ready.” 


SUNNrCREST 


35 

** Who named them, I’d like to know ? 
If you did it don’t count, ’cause it’s not fair 
to go and name all four, without asking me.” 

If you choose to go off with a strange boy, 
how can I ask you ? Those pups are three 
weeks old and they just had to be named. 
They’re real nice names,” she added 
hastily, as Christopher made for the door. 

They ” 

Kit, Kit,” called his grandmother, go 
up-stairs and wash your hands. Supper is 
ready.” 

And waffles are no good when they have 
to stand,” added Huldah meaningly. 

This hint was enough to send Christopher 
at a flying leap up the front stairs. 

“ I’ll show you the pups in the morning,” 
repeated Jane with exasperating calmness, 
following and watching his hasty ablutions 
from the bath-room door. 

“ Humph ! ” answered Christopher with 
ingratitude, as he splashed the water resent- 
fully. I guess I can And the pups easy 
enough — if I want to see ’em. And I know 
something you don’t know. A circus is 
coming to town next week, so there I ” 


36 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

I did know it, but it’s not coming for two 
weeks. There’s a lovely horseback rider in it 
and grandfather said perhaps he’d take us,” 
replied Jane. 

Then, carried away by the remembered 
charms of the circus posters, the twins linked 
arms and ran down to supper, their slight dis- 
agreement already forgotten. 

Thus life settled down at Sunnycrest, happy 
and peaceful for the most part ; always inter- 
esting but with now and then a little cloud of 
disappointment or regret overshadowing the 
sky of their sunny content — which, alas, is 
apt to be the way in life at every age. 

Jane was rather sorry that Jo Perkins had 
come to work on the farm. He took Christo- 
pher away from her so often. To be sure 
there were a great many things that they 
could do all together ; hunt for eggs, feed the 
chickens, milk the cows (for Jane and Chris- 
topher both learned to milk). But when 
Perk took Christopher fishing, Jane was not 
invited to go. Christopher soon developed 
into quite a sportsman, and begged his grand- 
father for a gun — Jane turned pale when she 
heard the request— to shoot some of the rab- 


SUNNTCREST 


37 

bits that ran so thick in the woods. But this 
grandfather positively refused to allow, nor 
would he permit Perk to carry a gun when 
Christopher was with him. So the two boys 
were obliged to content their sporting taste 
with fishing-rods and angleworms. 

Whenever she thought about it, Jane felt 
surprised and a bit hurt at this ready aban- 
donment of her by Christopher, but her own 
time was so filled up before long that at times 
she hardly missed him. Her little woman’s 
soul took as thriftily to household duties as 
the boy’s instinct turned to sport. Huldah 
found her nimble fingers of real use in shell- 
ing peas, beating eggs and sifting fiour. In- 
deed, seldom had Huldah’s cake been so light, 
for in her zeal Jane sifted and resifted the 
fiour and beat the eggs to such a stiffness that 
it seemed as if they would have to be broken 
up to stir into the batter, Huldah said. 

But grandmother did not encourage indoor 
work to any great extent, and Jane spent 
many blissful hours in the orchard with her 
family of dolls, always in sight of either 
grandmother’s or Huldah’s watchful eye. 
For although the twins had reached the 


38 LErrr AND THE TWINS 

dignity of nine years, they were seldom left 
to their own devices for long at a time. 
Grandfather and grandmother felt their re- 
sponsibility too strongly to take any risks, for 
had they not promised the anxious parents 
across the sea to take the best of care of these 
precious children ? 

Jane was a motherly little body and ex- 
tended her care of the doll family to Juno's 
family as well and Juno got into the habit of 
carrying the four fluffy balls of fur out to the 
orchard, where they all had merry romps, 
rolling about together in the sun and shade. 

But even with these diversions Jane might 
have grown lonely at times during Christo- 
pher's more frequent and longer absences 
with Perk and Bill Carpenter, a village boy, 
had not a new game been suggested to her by 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. Grandmother had 
called very promptly upon Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones at her boarding-place in the village. 
The lady who wrote books " had been so 
honestly disappointed that grandmother had 
not brought the children too that Mrs. Baker 
promised to return with them the very next 
day. 


SUNNTCREST 


39 

Jane was silent and a little awed, but 
Christopher was his usual cheerful, talkative 
self — with secret anticipations of another 
candy box. His hopes were not disappointed, 
for Mrs. Hartwell- Jones had planned for their 
visit and a regular “ party ” was spread forth, 
ice-cream, lady-fingers and chocolate drops 
all complete. Afterward she questioned them 
about what they did all day, every day. 

I milk the cows,^’ said Christopher boast- 
fully. 

** I can milk too,’^ interposed Jane. 

“ And I go off in the fields with Perk. 
When grandfather can spare him from the 
work we go fishing.^* 

** How splendid ! And what do you do, 
Janey dear, when Kit is off with his rod ? 

“ Oh, I help Huldah make cake, and play 
in the orchard.^^ 

** The orchard ! What a fairy-land ! May 
I play with you there some day when I come 
to Sunnycrest ? 

Oh, would you like to'?'^ asked Jane with 
big eyes. It would be splendid ! 

We shall have a fairies^ ball and you shall 
be queen. 


40 LETTY AND THE TJVINS 

“ Oh, oh ! And the grape-vine swing will 
do for a throne. But perhaps you would 
rather be queen, added Jane politely. 

No, I'll be master of ceremonies." 

They had the game before many more days, 
and it opened up a new world to Jane who 
thereafter queened it royally in fairy-land, 
with the dolls for ladies of honor and the 
birds and butterflies her royal messengers. 
Her faith in the real fairies was firm and 
deep-rooted, the most ardent desire of her 
life being to see one. She never confided this 
hope to Christopher and the new game was 
kept for her lonely hours when Christopher 
was away with Jo Perkins or Bill Carpenter, 
with which latter boy his intimacy was grow- 
ing. 


CHAPTER III 


A SPKAINED ANKLE 

Mrs. Hartwell- Jones was a great walker 
and took many long, long tramps around the 
countryside. The villagers had got quite 
used to the spectacle of the white-haired lady 
clad in a short skirt of stout tweed and heavy 
laced boots. White hair is not always the ac- 
companiment of trembling fingers, black silk 
gowns and knitting. 

But her habit of taking lonely walks brought 
about an accident that might have been serious 
if it had not been for the twins^ love of ex- 
ploring. 

Branching off the main road that led from 
Sunnycrest to the village was a winding lane 
known as Birch Lane, which had a little story 
attached to it. The road had been built long 
ago by a very rich man as the avenue leading 
to his big country house. It was built below 
the level of the ground with grassy terraces 
sloping up on each side, along the base of 
41 


42 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

which beautiful birch trees had been planted. 
But the rich man lost all his money and be- 
came too poor to build his house. The lane 
was left deserted and uncared-for, the graceful 
trees grew bent and gnarled and some of them 
died ; the grass terraces slipped and caved in 
until they became only clay banks. 

Jane and Christopher had often looked up 
the gloomy little roadway, now no more than 
a mere cow-path, and asked many questions 
concerning it. They both had a great long- 
ing to “ explore ’’ its depths, each for a differ- 
ent reason. Jane was sure that the fairies 
danced there and felt a breathless hope of one 
day catching them at it. Christopher, on the 
other hand, thought it not unlikely that a 
stray wolf or even a bear might be prowling 
around the tiny wilderness. 

As the lane was only a mile distant from 
Sunnycrest, grandmother said they might go 
on a voyage of discovery — only you go on 
voyages in a boat,^^ Christopher had cor- 
rected her — whenever Joshua could spare 
Jo Perkins to go with them. Jane rebelled 
at this, for she was sure the fairies would 
never appear before a great big boy of four- 


A SPRAINED ANKLE 43 

teen. But grandmother was firm on this 
point ; so the trio started off one sunny after- 
noon, Jo Perkins carrying a basket containing 
quite a day’s provisions in case they might 
get hungry before supper-time,” Huldah ex- 
plained. 

Christopher and Perk discussed fishing, 
rabbit-shooting and other manly topics while 
Jane skipped along in silence, her big eyes 
shining and her little mouth smiling at her 
thoughts. 

“ I shouldn’t be a single bit surprised to see 
some, even with Perk along,” she whispered 
to herself. “ The books say they dance at 
night in the moonlight ; but I am sure fairies 
must love the sunshine, it is so bright and 
goldy — just like themselves. And I should 
think they’d feel perfectly safe to dance in 
such an out-of-the-waysy place when most 
people are taking naps.” 

The lane was very quiet and very beautiful. 
The sun shone down through the dancing 
leaves of the birch trees in flickering rays that 
might well have been the gleam of a fleeing 
fairy ; the white tree trunk’s glimmered like 
pillars of silver. The silence was so great 


44 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

that to have it broken by the growl of a bear 
or, indeed, the snarl of a tiger, would not have 
been in the least astonishing or out of the 
way. But no such sound broke the summer 
stillness. 

Indeed, it looked as if the children were to 
have the whole length of the deserted lane to 
themselves. They walked along the top of 
the bank, alert and watchful for any adven- 
ture, Christopher chattering as usual, Jane 
quiet and content. 

There ain’t much use in goin’ any farther,” 
said Jo Perkins at last. There’s only one 
more turnin’, an’ that comes out into Pete 
Hull’s cow pasture. An’ this basket’s power- 
ful heavy to lug so far. I say we help make 
it a bit lighter by disposin’ of some of the 
contents,” he added in a suggestive tone. 

Oh, Perk, please let us go just to the last 
turn, and then we’ll eat our lunch,” coaxed 
Jane. 

So they walked on for another three 
minutes until a sudden sweep of the road 
showed them a broad space of golden sunshine 
and green grass. It was there that the poor 
rich man’s house was to have stood, tall and 


A SPRAINED ANKLE 45 

stately, with white columns and terraced 
gardens ; alas, it was now only a pasture for 
cows. 

The wide field with the cows lazily browsing 
gave the children a homely, comfortable sense 
of security. They felt that they had pene- 
trated a mysterious wild and were back again 
in civilization. Jo Perkins had already 
begun to unpack the basket and Christopher 
was watching him with his soul — or more 
literally his stomach — in his eyes, when Jane’s 
attention was suddenly attracted by the flutter 
of something white down in the lane below 
them. She knelt on the edge of the bank 
and peered over, in breathless excitement. 
Was she to see a really-truly fairy at last ? 

What she did see surprised her so that she 
almost lost her balance and tumbled over 
the edge of the bank. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
was seated on the roots of an old birch tree, 
her back against the clay bank, the yellow 
clay of which clung to her jacket when she 
leaned forward to catch Jane’s eye. But she 
did not get up. 

“ Oh, you blessed child ! ” she called. 

Never was I so thankful to see any one in 


46 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

the whole of my life I I have sprained my 
ankle and cannot move a step. The fairies 
must have sent you ! I began to think I 
should have to sit here forever and forever.^’ 

At once there was a grand excitement. 
The three children, basket and all, came 
tumbling down the bank to Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones’s side, every one talking and suggesting 
aid at once. After the first moment of fiurry 
Perk pocketed half a dozen doughnuts, to 
fortify him on the way, and bolted for home 
at top speed to fetch help. Jane and Christo- 
pher busied themselves in trying to make Mrs. 
Hartwell- Jones more comfortable. By lean- 
ing on Christopher's stalwart little shoulder 
she managed to get upon one foot and move to 
a drier, sunnier spot where she sat upon Jane’s 
jacket and leaned against Christopher’s — 
which arrangement the twins insisted upon 
in spite of her protests. 

'‘For you see you might get inframation or 
something dreadful if you catch cold in your 
hurt foot,” Jane explained in her most 
motherly manner. 

To beguile the time of waiting for Jo 
Perkins’s return they lunched out of Huldah’s 


A SPRAINED ANKLE 47 

generous basket and Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
explained every detail of her accident, in 
answer to Christopher’s rapid questions, try- 
ing to identify for his satisfaction the exact 
root which had twisted her foot, and even 
what she had been thinking about not to have 
noticed the rough place. Jane listened with 
interest and sympathy but she said nothing. 
Mrs. Hartwell- Jones’s impulsive words : “I 
believe the fairies must have sent you ” still 
rang in her ears. Had the fairies guided her 
to that last turn? She shuddered as she 
thought that if Jo Perkins had had his way 
they would have stopped short of that final 
bend and then perhaps Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
would have had to sit on and on through 
the chilly evening and perhaps the night. 
Blessed fairies I 

If Letty had been with us to-day, she. 
would have helped me watch for the fairies,” 
she broke out suddenly. 

Did Letty believe in fairies ? ” 

** Yes, she told me so. She said she loved 

fairy stories. I wish ” Jane paused and 

her eyes grew wistful. I wish Letty hadn’t 
had to go off in such a hurry the other day. 


48 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

She looked so sad. You know her mother 
died and she told me on the train platform 
that day that her brother had died too. I 
don’t believe she has anybody now. And she 
didn’t even have time to tell me where she 
was going.” 

Oh, she’ll turn up again ; people always 
do,” declared Christopher cheerfully. “ I 
don’t see why you need be so sorry for Letty. 
It must be jolly fun, belonging to a circus.” 

“ I wonder if she still has Punch and Judy. 
They were such cunning ponies, Mrs. Hart- 
well- Jones.” 

“ I see that a circus is to visit Hammer- 
smith before very long,” replied Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones. Do you suppose it could possi- 
bly be the one to which your little friend 
belongs ? ” 

Oh, I wonder if it is ! I hadn’t thought 
of that ! ” exclaimed Jane in great excite- 
ment. Oh, I wish — I hope it will be I ” 

When the carriage arrived — the big family 
carryall it was, with Joshua driving, grand- 
mother was in it. She would not hear of 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s taking the long, jolty 
drive to the village. She was to come di- 


A SPRAINED ANKLE 49 

rectly to Sunnycrest and there be nursed and 
cared for until her foot was well again. By 
the most wonderful good luck Dr. Greene had 
driven past the gate of Sunnycrest just as 
Jo Perkins delivered his message, had been 
hailed, brought back and was at that moment 
waiting to see the patient. 

Joshua assisted Mrs. Hartwell- Jones care- 
fully into the carriage, the children tucked 
themselves and the hamper in, and they drove 
rapidly away from the deserted lane, looking 
more mysterious than ever under the length- 
ening shadows of the afternoon sun ; left it to 
the bees and the rabbits and — perhaps — to the 
fairies. Who knows ? 


CHAPTER IV 


GREEN APPLES 

“ I HAVE a piece of good news/^ announced 
grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as 
he came up on the front veranda. He had 
driven into the village directly after the noon- 
day dinner and had just returned. “ Where 
is your grandmother?’’ 

Then he stopped short and eyed the chil- 
dren keenly. They were each sitting in a big 
chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for 
mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of 
them talking — a fact sufficient in itself to 
make one suspect that everything was not 
just as it should be. They sprang up with 
assumed spryness at sound of grandfather’s 
voice. 

“ What’s the news ? Tell us ! ” cried 
Christopher. 

** Yes, do, please,” echoed Jane. 

Grandfather thought they looked pale. 

60 


GREEN APPLES 


51 

Where is your grandmother ? " he re- 
peated. 

“ She is sitting with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones has a headache.” 

Hum. And what have you two been 
doing, without any one to look after you? ” 

Playing, sir.” 

“ Playing where ? ” 

A spasm crossed Janets face. She swal- 
lowed hard and began to talk very fast. 

We’ve just been playing out in the orchard 
with my dolls — where I play most every after- 
noon, grandfather. Juno brings her pups out 
there and ” She swallowed hard again. 

Christopher collapsed suddenly into the 
nearest chair and bent double with a howl of 
pain. Jane began to cry. 

Playing in the orchard,” repeated grand- 
father gravely, looking at them each in turn. 
“Oh, why didn’t I have Perk stay in from the 
fields to look after you ! Kit, how many 
green apples did you eat? ” 

“ I don’t exactly know, sir,” came a small 
voice from the depths of a big chair. “ I lost 
count after the eighth but it wasn’t many 
more.” 


52 LETTT AND THE TfVINS 

“ More than eight I ” 

It was grandfather’s turn to drop into a 
chair. The chair was not very near so that 
he almost dropped on to the floor. But the 
twins were too miserable to laugh. 

“ They weren’t very big,” moaned Christo- 
pher. 

That made them all the greener,” replied 
his grandfather grimly. 

“ I only ate six, grandfather,” put in Jane 
consolingly. I felt as if I’d had enough 
after three, but I couldn’t stop there, you 
know.” 

In spite of his anxiety grandfather laughed. 
Then he got up to go in search of grand- 
mother. She appeared in the doorway just 
then, looking very comfortable and cool in a 
fresh white dress. 

Mrs. Hartwell- Jones’s head is better, chil- 
dren, and she would like to see you up in 
her ” she began and stopped short. 

What is the matter with the children ? ” 
she cried, looking at them in great alarm. 

^^Jane ate six green apples and Kit lost 
count after the eighth. Is there anybody 
handy to send for the doctor ? ” 


GREEN APPLES 


53 

Grandmother looked dismayed, but faced 
the situation bravely. 

“ A drink of hot peppermint water will fix 
them, I think,” she said. And if that 
doesn’t castor oil will. Dr. Greene has been 
called to Westside to take charge of a typhoid 
fever case and won’t be back to-night.” 

After the children had been put to bed 
with warm, soothing drinks, and had had hot 
milk toast for supper, sitting up in bed with 
their wrappers on to eat it, Christopher sud- 
denly bethought himself of grandfather’s 
good news. 

“ He never told us what it was ! ” he 
wailed to Jane. 

I wonder how he guessed about the apples 
so soon ? ” speculated Jane in reply. I’ve 
played in the orchard ’most every day. I 
guess it was because you were playing with 
me.” 

Mean-y ! Trying to put the blame on 
me I It was because you looked so queer and 
yellow, like biscuit dough.” 

I didn’t look any yellower than you. 
And I didn’t double up and howl, so there,” 
retorted Jaiie, indignantly. 


54 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Christopher was silenced for a moment by 
this home-thrust. Then he called trium- 
phantly : 

“ I had a right to look yellower than you, 
^cause I ate more apples. And I think I 
know what the good news is. The circus is 
comin^ day after to-morrow. I heard grand- 
father tell Mrs. Hartwell- Jones so.’’ 

“Oh, Kit, how fine I Wouldn’t you just 
love to go ? ” 

“ We are going. Grandfather said we might 
when I first asked him.” 

“ Yes, I know, but perhaps he’ll change his 
mind now and not let us go, to punish us for 
being naughty about the apples.” 

“ But he promised I He’ll have to keep 
his word.” 

“ He didn’t really promise. He just said 
he’d see.” 

“ Well,that means the same. He meant yes.” 

“ Then I wonder what he will do to punish 
us?” 

“ Nothing. He’ll forgive us. Grandfathers 
are different from fathers about that.” 

“ But we’ve been naughty and deserve to be 
punished.” 


GREEN APPLES 


55 

“ Well, isn’t it punishment enough, I’d like 
to know, to be put to bed in broad daylight?” 
demanded Christopher, tossing impatiently. 

Just then Huldah came up for the milk 
toast bowls. She stood in the doorway be- 
tween the children’s rooms and shook her 
head slowly as she looked from one bed to 
the other. 

I’m disapp’inted in you,” she said coldly. 

“ Oh, come now, Huldah, don’t rub it in,” 
pleaded Christopher. 

And we are as sorry as we can be,” added 
Jane. 

Well, you’ll lose some good apple pies by 
it,” remarked Huldah severely, picking up 
her tray. Your grandfather was planning 
to have a picnic on circus day, an’ I was 
makin’ out to bake some apple pies for it — 
pies with lots of cinnamon — but apples ’ll be 
scarce now, and we’ll have to be savin’ of ’em.” 

“ Oh, Huldah, we didn’t eat as many as 
that ! ” cried Jane, her pain coming back at 
the very idea. 

'' You must have eat ’most half a bushel be- 
tween you.” 

'' My ! Well, can’t you begin to be saving 


56 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

of them a little later in the summer, when 
there’s other things to make pie out of? ” 
wheedled Christopher. 

But Huldah shook her head and went away 
to her kitchen. 

Jane lay thinking, soberly. She still felt 
weak and shaken after the sharp pain she had 
suffered, and found her bed very comfortable. 
Therefore she could not regard being put to 
bed so early as a punishment. Neither did 
she think it right that naughty children 
should go without punishment of some kind. 
It was not natural. It had never happened 
■ in any of her story-books, nor had it occurred 
in her own small experience, notwithstanding 
Christopher’s ideas about forgiving grand- 
fathers. It stood to reason then that she and 
Christopher, having been naughty, must be 
punished. The most obvious punishment 
would be to keep them home from the circus. 
Grandfather had not actually promised to 
take them — nothing so solemn as '' honest In- 
jun ” or “ Cross my heart.” So perhaps he 
would not think he was breaking his word b}^ 
keeping them at home. 

Perhaps, if she and Christopher did some- 


GREEN APPLES 57 

thing to show how sorry they were, deprived 
themselves of something, grandfather would 
think that was punishment enough. Soon 
the idea came to her. 

“ Kit,’' she called, sitting up in bed, are 
you asleep? ” 

“ No, what you want? ” 

Why, I think we ought — it seems to me 
— Huldah said we ate ’most half a bushel of 
apples. Kit. That’s an awful lot.” 

It’s not so many when you think of all 
there are left on the trees. It’s rubbish about 
Huldah’s having to save ’em. I know better 
’n that. She just said that to make us un- 
comfortable, the mean thing.” 

Well, it was a lot, anyhow, and I think 
we ought to give ’em back.” 

Give ’em back ! How could we ? What 
do you mean ? ” 

Christopher tumbled out of bed, his curi- 
osity roused and coming in, huddled himself 
up on the foot of Jane’s cot. 

Why, don’t you think that your ’lowance 
an’ mine together ’d buy half a bushel of ap- 
ples? ” asked Jane eagerly, quite carried away 
by her heroic resolve. 


58 LETTT AND THE TJVINS 

But I want my ’lowance to buy lemonade 
and peanuts with at the circus/^ 

But maybe we can^t go to the circus.” 

Yes, we can. Grandfather promised.” 

No, he didn't promise. He said ‘ I'll see.' 
And now I guess he'll keep us home, 'less we 
do something to show him we're sorry. If 
we buy half a bushel of apples and give 'em 
to him in place of all those we ate, why, don't 
you see? Maybe he'll think that, and the 
stomach ache we've had, 'll be punishment 
enough, without giving up the circus.” 

The stomach ache was enough punish- 
ment for me. I promised him I'd never eat 
any more green apples, and I won't. But I 
want money to spend for lemonade at the 
circus.” 

I guess I like lemonade as well as you do, 
greedy, but I’d rather go to the circus without 
having it, than to miss the whole thing.” 

Well, so would I, silly. But do you hon- 
estly think grandfather would be so mean ? ” 
“ It wouldn't be mean. It would be only 
fair,” declared Jane stoutly. 

“ Well, we'll see about it in the morning,” 
answered Christopher, scuttling back to bed. 


GREEN APPLES 


59 

And that was all that Jane could get out 
of him, so that she went to sleep with her 
conscience only half clear. Because of course 
her fifteen cents would not do any good with- 
out Christopher^s. She knew enough about 
the prices of things to be sure of that. 

Grandfather and grandmother were so cold 
and formal at breakfast the next morning, 
and avoided all mention of the circus so care- 
fully that Christopher was forced to decide 
that for once Jane was right and they would 
better buy the half bushel of apples to show 
their repentance. They longed to consult 
Mrs. Hart well- Jones, but that would mean 
telling the whole story, which they did not 
wish to do. Of course they did not know 
that the lady who wrote books had already 
heard the story from grandmother and had 
laughed over it until she cried. 

After breakfast they held a hurried counsel 
and then ran out to the barn to find out who 
was going to the village that day. It turned 
out that Joshua himself was going, to have 
one of the horses shod. At first he refused 
to take the twins with him, saying that they 
were in disgrace and must remain quietly at 


6o LETTT AND THE TWINS 


home. It was only after they had explained 
their errand (under the most binding promises 
of secrecy) that he consented. 

The ride into the village was interesting at 
all times, and now the whole countryside, 
ablaze with red and yellow circus posters, 
made driving between the decorated rail- 
fences most entertaining and lively. Joshua 
stopped in front of each pictorial long enough 
for the children to spell out the account of 
the wonders foretold and admire the gorgeous 
pictures, and then took away most of the 
charm by saying regretfully, each time they 
drove on : 

Just to think, you young *uns might have 
seen all them things — if you hadnT stole an’ 
eat up your gran’pa’s apples.” 

Suppose it should be Letty’s circus ! ” 
exclaimed Jane. See, Kit, in that picture 
over there there are Shetland ponies. Oh, 
Kit, just suppose it should be ! ” 

'' Well, you needn’t count on it,” replied 
Christopher practically. “ There are lots of 
trained Shetland ponies in the world beside 
Punch and Judy, and we don’t know if Letty 
is with the circus that have Punch and Judy, 


GREEN APPLES 


6i 

anyway. She may be jumping and tumbling 
again, like she was doing the first time we 
saw her.’^ 

The village reached at length, Joshua 
bundled the twins out unceremoniously in 
front of the chief provision shop and bade 
them wait there for his return. Christopher 
was disappointed. He had hoped for the 
treat of watching the blacksmith at work. 
But Joshua had given him plainly to under- 
stand from the first that this expedition was 
one of business and not of pleasure, and he 
dared not complain. 

The provision man was new in the village 
and did not know the twins. He did not 
think such small children worth much atten- 
tion and went on arranging his baskets. 

Please, sir, how much are apples ? asked 
Christopher politely. 

The man turned around, surprised by such 
a practical question and answered : 

Forty cents a basket.^’ 

'' Oh/^ cried Jane and Christopher together, 
that's too much ! " 

“ It's the market price," said the man 
crossly. 


62 LETTY AND THE TWINS 


Oh, sir, we mean it’s too much for us to 
pay,” explained Jane hurriedly. 

I dare say it is,” replied the man coolly 
and turned away to wait on another customer. 

The children stood listlessly at the corner, 
waiting for Joshua. Their hearts were heavy 
with disappointment at the failure of their 
plan. Even the thought that he would now 
have his money for peanuts at the circus 
failed to console Christopher, who had screwed 
himself up to the heroic point of self-denial. 

Jane watched the people buying at the pro- 
vision shop. They got all sorts of things : 
some bought several kinds of vegetables and 
meat, which they carried away in a basket ; 
others bought small quantities, wrapped in 
paper bags. Presently a woman bought a 
small bag of apples which suggested to Jane 
that they might be able to do the same thing. 

Kit,” she said, ** I think by a basket the 
man meant one of those great big baskets. 
Surely they hold more than half a bushel ? ” 
Don’t know how much half a bushel is,” 
replied Christopher, toeing the path with his 
boot. 

** Well, I’m sure we didn’t eat as many as 


GREEN APPLES 63 

one of those basketfuls, anyhow. Just look 
at the size of it.’' 

** We stuffed a lot of ’em.” 

** Well, anyway, let’s get as many as our 
money ’ll buy,” proposed Jane. We can buy 
any number ’cause I just saw a woman get 
some in a paper bag. It ’ll show grandfather 
we are sorry and want to pay back, and per- 
haps Huldah was wrong about the half 
bushel.” 

“ Well, you’ll have to do the asking then,” 
said Christopher ungallantly. That man is 
horrid. He thinks we’re nothing but kids.” 

They approached the provision man again, 
who happened at that moment not to be 
occupied. 

How much — I mean, how many apples 
will thirty cents buy, please, sir ? ” asked Jane. 

“ Half a bushel.” 

The twins looked at each other in delight. 

We’ll take ’em,” they cried together, and 
Christopher drew the thirty cents — two ten 
and two five cent pieces — from his trousers 
pocket. 

They were very proud and excited all the 
way home. They hardly glanced at the circus 


64 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

posters, so eager were they to reach Sunnycrest 
and complete their sacrifice, and they kept 
urging Joshua to drive faster. They took 
turns sitting on the basket of fruit, they were so 
afraid that an apple mightjostleoutand be lost. 

Grandfather, grandmother and Mrs. Hart- 
well- Jones were all sitting on the veranda. 
Mrs. Hartwell- Jones was able to limp down- 
stairs once a day, by the aid of one of grand- 
father's canes. Jane and Christopher carried 
the basket between them, up to the top of the 
steps. Christopher felt suddenly sheepish and 
hung his head, but Jane, brave in the con- 
sciousness of having done right, spoke up 
boldly : 

“ Grandfather, Huldah said we must have 
eaten 'most half a bushel of apples yesterday, 
and she couldn't make so many apple pies as 
she could if we hadn't eaten them, and we 
thought we ought to be punished for taking 
the apples without leave, didn't we. Kit, and 
we didn't want to be kept home from the 
circus, so we went to town with Josh and 
buyed — I mean bought, these to make up." 

And it took all of both our 'lowances," 
added Christopher virtuously. 


GREEN APPLES 65 

How the grown-ups laughed I But there 
were tears in grandmother’s eyes as she 
thanked the twins and called Huldah to 
come and take the basket. 

Later in the day, grandmother called Jane 
and Christopher into her own room and gave 
them each fifteen cents. 

“ I want you to understand that I am not 
doing it because I think you did not deserve 
the punishment of losing it,” she said seri- 
ously, for it was wrong to have eaten the 
apples, both because it endangered your health 
to eat unripe fruit and because it is always a 
sin to take what does not belong to one with- 
out asking. But I wish to reward, and so 
encourage, the spirit you have both shown to- 
day of desiring to make atonement for wrong. 
God bless you, my dears.” 


CHAPTER V 


THE CIRCUS 

All was pleasant confusion and excitement 
at Sunnycrest, for it was circus day I A wee 
cloud of disappointment dimmed the horizon 
of Jane’s bliss when she learned that Mrs. 
Hartwell- Jones did not feel equal to the effort 
of going. She was afraid she might tire or 
injure her lame foot ; and Jane was sorry, for 
she would have enjoyed sharing her impres- 
sions with the sympathetic and understanding 
“ lady who wrote books.” Still, there would 
be the happiness of telling her all about it 
afterward. 

Grandmother offered to remain at home 
with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. But on the other 
hand, she thought that she ought to go, in 
order to look after the children. First, they 
were to watch the parade from the parlor 
windows of the village hotel, by the invitation 
of the hotel proprietor, Mr. Grubbs. After- 
ward there was to be a picnic dinner and 
66 


THE CIRCUS 


67 

then — the circus ! Grandmother really could 
not have stood the strain of remaining at 
home and wondering whether the children 
had drunk too much lemonade or fallen into 
a wild animal’s cage, and Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
knew this when she refused to let grand- 
mother stay with her, or to change in any 
way the household arrangements for her sake. 

Joshua was to drive the big, three-seated 
wagon and Huldah went too, to superintend 
the luncheon. Jo Perkins, having had per- 
mission to take a day off (as indeed had all 
the farm-hands, for grandfather firmly believed 
in the old saying that all work and no play 
makes Jack a dull boy ” ) had vanished with 
the dawn. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones was left, to- 
gether with many instructions from grand- 
mother, to the care of Mary the housemaid, 
who said she didn’t care much for circuses 
anyway. 

Christopher appropriated the seat of honor 
in front, beside Joshua, but Jane did not 
mind. Tucked in contentedly between grand- 
father and grandmother she was lost in a 
wonderful dream of the delights to come. 
Huldah and the baskets had the back seat to 


68 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


themselves and there was only just room for 
Huldah to squeeze in upon one corner of the 
seat after everything had been stowed away, 
for Huldah, as has perhaps been hinted before, 
was a ‘‘ generous provider/^ 

The little town of Hammersmith presented 
a very different appearance from its every-day 
sleepiness. The narrow sidewalks for its 
whole mile length were packed with squirm- 
ing, excited children and their no less excited 
if quieter elders. The reason that children 
are so restless is because they have not yet 
learned to soothe their nerves by wagging 
their tongues instead of their arms and legs. 

Farmers had come in from all the neigh- 
boring districts with their families. A good 
many had given their workmen, too, a holi- 
day, as Grandfather Baker had his. Circuses 
did not come to Hammersmith very often. 

Grandfather, in spite of frowns and head- 
shakings from grandmother, bought Jane and 
Christopher each a bag of roasted peanuts 
and another of sticky pop-corn. Then he 
placed them side by side in an open window, 
with due caution not to fall out. The chil- 
dren were absolutely happy. 


THE CIRCUS 


69 

Oh, Kit, I’m so glad I’m alive ! ” half 
whispered Jane. ''I don’t think that even 
the sorts of things that happen in story-books 
could be nicer than this. Aren’t you glad 
we bought the apples? ” 

** Oh, I guess so. But we’d have got to the 
circus anyhow. Grandfather never would 
have kept us home.” 

No, I don’t believe he would,” acknowl- 
edged Jane. He’d be too generous. But 
we’d have deserved it. Kit, and I’d much 
rather be here with things the way they are 
now. It’s comfortable to my insides some- 
where. Do you suppose the lady in the pink 
tights will be in the percession ? ” 

She may be in the percession, but she 
won’t have on the pink tights. She has to 
save them for the tent, where it’s nice and 
clean. Outdoors they’d fade or get dusty, 
or she might fall off her horse into a puddle 
and spoil ’em.” 

Oh, Kit, she’d never fall off her horse ! 
She can ride too well. Just think of the 
things she does in the pictures I ” 

Huh I I know a boy at school that saw a 
lady fall off her horse — right in the circus 


70 LETTT AND THE T fF I N S 

ring, too. It hurt her awfully. Broke her 
back or something. Wish I’d seen it.” 

“ Oh, dear, I’m glad I wasn’t there,” ex- 
claimed Jane, who had no thirst for the horrible. 

“ Hullo, I guess they’re cornin’,” cried 
Christopher. “ See how the people are yell- 
ing and clapping down by the post-office. I 
say, grandfather, they’re coming, they’re com- 
ing ! Hooray ! ” 

Christopher tried to see his grandfather, 
not by turning around but by looking out of 
his window, across the space of wall and in at 
the next window where grandfather and 
grandmother were sitting. He lost his bal- 
ance, of course, and nothing but Jane’s sud- 
den grasp at the loosest part of his trousers, 
and the special providence that protects small 
boys, saved him from tumbling down upon 
the crowd below. He lost both his bags in a 
wild clutch at the window ledge and drew 
himself back, sputtering and red-faced with 
disappointment. He looked down to watch a 
group of small street urchins scrambling for 
their contents. 

Pshaw, Jane, why didn’t you catch the 
bags ? ” he exclaimed in disgust. 


THE CIRCUS 


71 

Then he straddled the window sill and for- 
got all about his lost goodies in excitement, 
for the procession was really coming. It was 
not a very wonderful display. Indeed, the 
grown-ups thought it rather melancholy. 
There were half a dozen tired looking men 
on tired looking horses, half a dozen others 
dressed up as Indians, also on horseback, 
several cages of wild animals and a brassy 
brass band in a gilded chariot drawn by four 
horses. This band headed the procession and 
was the grandest thing in it except one other 
gilt chariot upon which a plump, pretty 
young woman in a Diana sort of costume sat 
enthroned. She rode just behind the wild- 
animal cages and Jane gazed after her en- 
thralled until she passed out of sight. 

“ I am sure she is the lady who wears the 
pink tights and does such wonders on horse- 
back,'^ she confided to Christopher. Wasn't 
she lovely ? " 

Then followed a long line of animal cages 
with closed sides. A man who rode beside 
the driver on the first of these called out to 
the people that the beasts within were too 
fierce and wild to stand the excitement of 


72 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

having their cages opened on the sides so that 
people could see them. The spectators had 
to guess as to what kind of animals were shut 
up in these cages ; the pictures painted on the 
outside were no guides, as each represented a 
whole menagerie. An elephant followed, 
tired looking and dejected, led by two men, 
and after them appeared a young girl, dressed 
in a purple Roman toga, driving a pair of 
piebald Shetland ponies. 

At sight of these ponies it was Janets turn 
almost to fall out of the window in her ex- 
citement. 

Oh, Kit, grandmother, grandfather, it is 
Letty ! It is, it is ! And she’s driving Punch 
and Judy. Mayn’t I call to her ? Oh, mayn’t 
I? ” 

Hush, Janey, not now,” replied Mrs. 
Baker, clutching the squirming, excited child 
firmly around the waist. '' We’ll arrange 
about it later. Grandfather will see the 
manager of the circus.” 

“Punch and Judy look as nice as ever,” 
commented Christopher with a condescending 
air. “ And Letty drives ’em well, too, you 
bet. But why is she rigged up in that queer 


THE CIRCUS 


73 

way ? All that purple stuff slung over her 
shoulder. I should think it would be in her 
way.” 

“That’s the way people used to dress 
hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Don’t 
you remember the picture of Ben Hur in the 
chariot race ? Letty’s dressed like that and 
she’s driving a sort of chariot, too.” 

“ Poor kind of a thing to ride in, I think. 
You can’t sit down,” commented Christopher. 
“ I like the little carriage better that she used 
to drive.” 

The heavy, closed wagons, painted red and 
gold, that are used to carry the tents and 
luggage of a circus, now appeared in line. 
Upon the top of every third or fourth wagon 
stood comic figures, men dressed in false 
heads of exaggerated size, who nodded and 
danced and performed antics to make the 
crowds laugh. A painted clown in a donkey 
cart, and a calliope (so necessary to every circus 
parade) brought up the rear of the proces- 
sion. The calliope was playing “ Wait till the 
Clouds Roll by, Jennie ” in a loud squawk, 
and the people along the street whistled the 
tune as they shouted and exchanged jokes 


74 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

with the clown. It was not at all an appropri- 
ate tune, for there was not a cloud in the sky. 
Indeed, the light was almost too bright, for it 
revealed mercilessly all the bare spots on the 
wagons where the scarlet paint and gilt had 
peeled off ; and it shone pitilessly upon the 
shabby trappings of the horses and upon 
the anxious, tired faces of the performers. 
But the crowd was neither particular nor 
critical and after cheering and whistling the 
procession out of sight, it scattered gayly to 
hunt up families and lunch baskets. 

‘‘ Now then,” exclaimed Jane with great 
satisfaction, we shall see Letty again,” and 
she tucked her hand into her grandmother’s. 

The circus tents were pitched in a wide field 
just outside the town and grandfather selected 
the adjoining field, under a clump of trees and 
beside a brook, for the picnic dinner. While 
Josh and Huldah were unpacking the hampers 
Mr. and Mrs. Baker, with the twins, crossed to 
where the circus people were grouped. The 
troupe had reached Hammersmith rather late 
in the morning, only just in time to form for 
their parade, so that the tents were just now 
being put up. 


THE CIRCUS 


75 

While grandfather went in search of the 
manager, grandmother and the children stood 
watching this ceremony of tent pitching with 
absorbed interest. Men ran here and there 
with coils of rope and long stakes whi<?h they 
drove into the ground and then stood in a 
circle around a broad sheet of canvas that lay 
spread on the ground. At a given word the 
men tugged at their ropes and slowly a 
mountain of dingy yellow white rose in their 
midst. It swelled and swayed and flapped 
and then took shape. More tugging of ropes, 
more shouting, the last securing hammer on 
a stake or two and lo, the circus tent was raised ! 

A second tent was erected over the animal 
wagons and vans which had been arranged in 
a half circle and the horses removed. Then 
smaller tents were put up and painted signs 
hung out to advertise different side-shows. 

Where do you suppose all the queer 
people of the side-shows were while the per- 
cession was going on ? The bearded woman, 
the armless man and all those ? whispered 
Jane to her brother. 

'' I don’t know. Maybe they were shut up 
inside of some of those closed wagons.” 


76 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Oh, I should think that would be lots of 
fun,’’ laughed Jane. Making people think 
you were some kind of a wild animal when 
really you were something lots more wonder- 
ful.” 

Presently grandfather reappeared, followed 
by Mr. Drake and Letty. Mrs. Drake joined 

them, carrying her baby, who insisted upon 
Letty’s taking him at once, and chuckling 
with delight in her arms. 

“So you are the little girl who saved my 
precious grandchildren from the dreadful 
bear?” said grandmother kindly, holding out 
her hand to Letty. “ I am very glad to see 
you at last, to thank you for your brave act.” 

“ Oh,” replied Letty, with a catch in her 
voice, “ it seems like another life when I did 
that. It happened so long ago and so much 
else has happened since. I was very happy 

then, ” and the tears she could not control 
filled her sad brown eyes. 

Jane looked at her in distress. 

“ Don’t cry, Letty,” she whispered, drawing 
her aside. “ You never used to cry. Aren’t 
they kind to you ? ” 

“ Oh, yes,” exclaimed Letty, drying her eyes 


THE CIRCUS 


77 

quickly, as she saw Mrs. Drake approaching, 
“ they are very kind to me. But I — I don't 
like being in a circus." 

Poor little girl," murmured grandmother 
sympathetically. 

Then Mrs. Drake joined them and grand- 
father went away with the manager to buy 
tickets for the performance and then to look 
at a group of work horses tied to stakes at the 
back of one of the smaller tents. 

“May we see Punch and Judy?" asked 
Jane. 

“ Would I have time before dinner?" Letty 
inquired wistfully of Mrs. Drake. 

Mrs. Drake saw how eager Letty was to go 
with the children and good-naturedly gave 
her consent, taking the heavy, unwilling baby 
again into her own arms. The children ran 
off, leaving the two women standing talking 
together. 

“ Tell me what you can about Letty, Mrs. 
Drake. We are very much interested," said 
grandmother and she explained who she was 
and why she was so much interested in the 
little circus girl. 

“ I am very sorry for Letty, mem," replied 


78 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Mrs. Drake sadly. Her mother’s death was 
very hard on her, poor little thing, and then 
when her brother was killed last year she 
could scarcely get over the shock.” 

“ Poor, poor child I But you have been 
very good to her, Mrs. Drake. She spoke 
very affectionately of you just now.” 

“ She has been with us ever since her 
mother’s death, but I don’t know what’s to 
become of her now,” and the good woman 
sighed. I promised her mother she should 
be to us like our own child, and so she has, up 
to now.” 

“And what is to happen now?” asked 
Mrs. Baker with sympathy. 

“ Oh, didn’t my husband tell you that we 
are giving up the circus ? This will be our 
last appearance ; the circus breaks up to-night. 
Mr. Drake has sold the menagerie and most 
of the troupe have got other positions. We 
shall stay here two or three days, I think, 
until Mr. Drake sells some of the workhorses.” 

“ Have the Shetland ponies been sold ? ” 

“ Not yet. They’d be very nice for children 
to have as pets,” replied Mrs. Drake quickly, 
with an eye to business. 


THE CIRCUS 


79 


Mrs. Baker smiled understandingly. 

“ I was not thinking of ourselves, but of a 
friend of mine,’' she said quietly. '' But, 
Mrs. Drake, I want to ask you please to keep 
me posted about Letty’s whereabouts. Here 
is my card with the address on it. In the 
autumn I think I should like to place her in 
some good school where she can study and be 
equipped for making her way in the world. 
I am sure my daughter-in-law would be glad 
to have me do it in return for Letty’s act of 
heroism in saving the children’s lives. My 
daughter did try to find the child that same 
autumn after her mother’s death.” 

She was living with us, quite in the neigh- 
borhood. But I never thought of leaving an 
address,” exclaimed Mrs. Drake in some dis- 
may. “ I should hate to think I had stood in 
Letty’s way of getting settled in life. Indeed, 
Mrs. Baker, she would repay any kindness 
shown her, no matter for what reason,” she 
continued earnestly. Her mother was a real 
lady and always hoped her little girl could 
be properly brought up. She’s far above such 
folk as us, mem,” she added humbly. 

Indeed, Mrs. Baker’s idea was to begin do- 


8o LETTT AND THE TWINS 


ing something for Letty’s good before the 
autumn, but this plan must be considered 
very seriously before it could be carried out. 

Letty and the twins came running back 
to them. Letty^s eyes were shining and 
there was a pink glow in her thin cheeks. 
She looked more like her old, bright, cheerful 
self than she had since her mother^s death. 
The children were greatly excited. 

Oh, grandmother,^^ exclaimed Jane, Letty 
says the Shetland ponies are for sale and we 
thought 

We thought Mrs. Hartwell- Jones might 
want to buy ^em,^^ put in Christopher. 

“ Don’t you remember, grandmother,” went 
on Jane, how Mrs. Hartwell-Jones said after 
she had sprained her ankle that she wished 
she had a Bath chair and when Kit asked 
what that was she said it was a big chair 
with wheels that they harnessed a pony to, to 
drive sick people about. So I thought ” 

We thought Mrs. Hartwell-Jones might 
like to buy Punch and Judy,” finished Chris- 
topher, taking advantage of Jane’s breathless- 
ness to put the climax to her tale. 

Mrs. Baker smiled. 


THE CIRCUS 


8i 


Bless your hearts, children, I had thought 
of the very same thing. We must talk it 
over with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. There is 
plenty of time.” 

And, grandmother. Josh came to tell us 
dinner is ready. Please, can’t Letty come to 
the picnic with us? ” 

“ There’s apple pie,” added Christopher. 

Of course Huldah had made apple pie for 
the picnic. She would have felt obliged to 
make those pies — with quantities of cinna- 
mon — if she had had to neglect her whole 
week’s baking to do it ! 

Mrs. Drake glanced at Letty’s eager, wistful 
face. 

You want to go, don’t you?” she said 
aside to her. 

Oh, yes, I would like to go, so much — if 
you can spare me, Mrs. Drake,” replied Letty, 
trying to think of some one else before her- 
self. 

Grandmother overheard this unselfish little 
speech and it helped to strengthen the resolve 
that was forming in her mind. 

The picnic was a very jolly affair, and Letty 
felt that she had not enjoyed herself so much 


82 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


since that happy summer, three long years 
before — which she and her mother had spent 
out in the country near Willow Grove. 
When everybody had eaten as much as he or 
she could possibly hold (and Christopher a 
wee bit more) Letty won Huldah’s heart by 
insisting upon helping with the tidying up. 

“ I always help Mrs. Drake, so please let 
me,’^ she said. 

The twins asked leave to help too, and 
found it great fun to wash dishes in the 
brook. The time passed by much more rapidly 
than any one realized and Letty had to run 
off very hastily at length, in order to be 
ready in time to take her place in the grand 
march at the opening of the circus perform- 
ance. It was agreed before she left that Mr. 
Baker should return in the morning to see 
about Punch and Judy and he promised the 
twins to bring them with him, that they 
might have another visit with Letty. 

Soon it was time for every one who was to 
attend the circus to go inside the tent. 
Grandfather gave Joshua tickets for Huldah 
and himself, and then he and grandmother 
and the twins crossed the wide field again. 


THE CIRCUS 


83 

There was a great hubbub about the group 
of tents ; men were calling out the attractions 
of the side-shows, a band was playing and 
boys moved about through the crowd with 
trays of peanuts and lemonade, shouting their 
wares in shrill, loud voices. 

All boys and girls who have been to a circus 
know exactly how Jane and Christopher felt 
when they got inside that tent. It was not 
the first circus they had been to, by any 
means, but that does not make any differ- 
ence ; one always has that same furry creepi- 
ness in the back of one’s neck, and the same 
swelled-up, lost breath, wish-to-laugh-with- 
out-being-heard feeling. 

They giggled at everything the clown said 
and did, clapped their hands wildly when the 
trick elephant bowed and waltzed ; and shut 
their eyes tight — at least Jane did — when the 
“ human fly ” walked upside down on a piece 
of boarding suspended from the top of the 
tent like a ceiling. 

Christopher liked the Indians attacking the 
stage-coach best, and wriggled rapturously at 
each blood-curdling war-whoop. But Jane 
was faithful to her love of the lady in pink 


84 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

tights and watched her with open eyes and 
open mouth as she stood jauntily upright 
upon a barebacked horse and sprang grace- 
fully through paper-covered hoops. 

“ I wonder if Letty knows her,” she whis- 
pered to Christopher. “ I mean to ask to- 
morrow.” 

But it was the Shetland ponies and their 
little trainer that held grandmother’s atten- 
tion. She watched Letty long and carefully, 
and said something to grandfather in a voice 
too low for the children to hear. 

That evening, after Jane and Christopher 
were tucked away in bed, the grown-ups, Mr. 
and Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, had 
a long, long talk together. It Avas all about 
Letty, or most of it, for the Shetland ponies 
came in for a little share in the discussion. 

Dear little Letty, if only she could have 
overheard that conversation she would not 
have spent such a wakeful, unhappy night. 
She had passed three very hard, sad years, 
but better days were in sight again. As her 
mother had said, the little girl had the faculty 
of making friends. 


CHAPTER VI 


LETTY 

Letty spent a restless night. At first she 
had been much excited by seeing the twins 
again and looked forward to their return in 
the morning with much impatience. Jane 
and Christopher had wanted her to go home 
with them that afternoon, to let Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones see the ponies and settle the mat- 
ter at once. 

But Mr. Drake could not allow this for two 
reasons. To begin with, a long country trip 
would be too much for the ponies, together 
with their march in the procession and two 
performances. For there was to be another 
performance of the circus in the evening, and 
Mr. Drake’s second reason was that Letty 
might not get back in time for it if she went 
out to Sunnycrest. Jane was disappointed, 
for she had not known about the second per- 
formance, and was hoping to keep Letty over- 
night. But it was settled that they should 
85 


86 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


all return very early in the morning and to 
that time Letty looked forward eagerly until 
all at once it came over her that she had no 
cause for rejoicing. 

Of course I shall be awfully glad to see 
Jane and Christopher again,” she told herself, 
lying wide awake and thoughtful on her cot 
in the small tent in which she slept as guard- 
ian of the fat Drake baby, “ but after all 
what good will it do me ? They will be here 
with me for a little while and then will go 
away again, and I shall probably never see 
them again. And they will probably take 
Punch and Judy, too. Oh, oh, I am to lose 
my dear little friends and what will become 
of me? ” And she began to cry softly. 

Poor little Letty ! She had not had a happy 
life since her mother’s death. It was not 
from lack of kindness, for Mrs. Drake in her 
quiet, dull way, had been as kind as possible. 
And dear Ben had been her splendid, good 
big brother, gay and kind and thoughtful to 
her always. 

But everything had been so different. The 
winter after her mother’s death had been a 
time of desolation to Letty. 


LETTr 


87 

Letty sat out on the front steps of the 
boarding-house where she lived with Mrs. 
Drake whenever the weather permitted, or 
walked drearily about the Square. She made 
no friends and had no pleasure except her 
Sunday attendance at church, where the soft 
music and wonderful stained glass windows 
never failed to soothe and comfort her. 
These stained glass windows represented the 
only paintings she had ever seen. But it was 
the music that comforted her most. She 
learned some of the hymns after a while and 
ventured to join sometimes in a voice that had 
a surprising quality in its untrained cadences. 

The summer was easier to bear as the 
traveling about from place to place brought 
diversion ; and she loved her work with the 
ponies. But long before the summer was 
over she had grown tired of the roving life 
and was glad to be back in winter quarters 
again. 

She was happier that second winter, for she 
had grown more resigned to the loss of her 
mother and the dreadful, aching desire for 
her mercifully had lessened. But the rest- 
less, moving life of the circus grew more and 


88 LETTY AND THE TWINS 


more distasteful and after her brother’s death 
— by a frightful accident — she felt that she 
could endure the life no longer. 

But the poor child had no other home, no 
other friends, and stayed on with the Drakes 
for want of another home. Her little friend, 
Emma Haines, lived over in a small town in 
New Jersey, but her family were too poor to 
take any outsider into their family. The 
rich Miss Reese who, together with her little 
cousin, Clara Markham, had been so kind to 
Letty one winter, had passed out of her life 
completely, and even Mrs. Goldberg, with the 
amusing parrot, had not been heard from 
since her removal to California. 

So Letty lived on, a sad, dull, monotonous 
life. She attended school in the winters but 
was never happy there, as she was invariably 
behind her classes and was too shy and sad to 
try to make friends among the other scholars. 
Another baby came to Mrs. Drake, which 
proved a source of much comfort to Letty. 
He was a big, jolly, lusty baby — the same she 
had been holding in her arms when she had 
first caught sight of the twins at the railway 
junction. And her happiest, or rather her 


LETTT 89 

least sad hours were those she spent at church 
and in nursing Mrs. Drake’s baby. 

And now, what did the future hold for her ? 
Mr. Drake had met with losses and failure in 
his business and the circus was broken up. 
What was to become of her ? Small wonder 
that Letty wept despairingly as she lay awake 
in her little canvas bedroom. 

But Jane and Christopher were all gay ex- 
citement and happy anticipation. 

I am sure Mrs. Hartwell-Jones means to 
buy the ponies,” Jane confided to Christopher, 
“ and I’m so glad, because, you see, sometimes 
she may take us for rides.” 

“ And let me drive,” added Christopher. 

And Mrs. Hartwell-Jones really did mean 
to buy the ponies. She asked grandfather to 
attend to the matter for her when he returned 
to the circus grounds to see about his own 
business ; for grandfather had about decided 
to buy one or two of Mr. Drake’s horses for 
work on the farm. But Mr. Baker was too 
businesslike to buy without being sure of the 
sort of horse he was getting, and arranged 
with Joshua to have Mr. Drake drive or ride 
out such horses as grandfather thought of 


90 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

getting, together with the Shetland ponies, to 
Sunnycrest, for Joshua’s inspection and judg- 
ment. 

The twins were in a whirl to get started and 
gave grandfather no peace until the phaeton — 
a low, wide-seated vehicle with plenty of room 
for three on the seat when two of them were 
only nine — was brought round. There was 
an instant scramble for the outside place and 
a quarrel threatened ; but grandfather settled 
the whole matter saying quietly : 

Ladies first. Kit, my boy. Janey shall 
have the outside place for the first half of the 
way.” 

They started off in high spirits, Jane quiet 
and absorbed, bending enough to watch the 
revolving wheel crunch the bits of dust and 
dry clay, lost in her own happy thoughts or 
listening to Christopher’s chatter and storing 
up bits of knowledge. Christopher’s tongue 
was not quiet a moment and he asked question 
after question. 

It had always been like that with the twins 
from the time they had learned to talk. Jane 
seldom asked questions, but Christopher must 
know the meaning of everything that came to 


LETTT 


91 

his notice. Not that Jane was stupid because 
she did not ask questions. She generally 
listened to Christopher’s continual “ why ” 
and learned from the answers given to him. 
And very often she would speak out unex- 
pectedly some piece of information that sur- 
prised every one. Indeed, an uncle of the 
twins had once said : 

Kit talks the most, but Jane says the most.” 

See that squirrel running across the road? ” 
said grandfather. Did you see him, Janey ? 
A pretty red one.” 

“ I could have shot him, if I’d had a gun,” 
boasted Christopher. 

Oh, Kit, that would have been mean ! 
He wasn’t doing any one any harm.” 

“How do you know he wasn’t? Perhaps 
he was doing something hateful to some other 
animal. Animals do that, you know ; they’re 
such beasts.” 

“ Well, anyway, you couldn’t have shot it ; 
squirrels run so fast,” replied Jane with satis- 
faction. 

“ I could have if I’d had any practice. 
When I get my gun I shall practice on the 
rabbits. They’re no good, anyhow.” 


92 LETTT AND THE TfVINS 

“ They are some good. TheyTe sweet, dear, 
gentle things and you just shan’t hurt them.” 

“ They haven’t got as much sense as 
squirrels and they’re lots greedier.” 

Then followed a discussion between the 
children concerning the habits of squirrels, 
rabbits and other creatures of the forest, in 
which each displayed a goodly stock of 
knowledge of natural history. Grandfather 
chuckled proudly as he listened, but made no 
comment. 

“ Well, well, well,” he remarked, when the 
subject of red squirrels had been exhausted 
and he thought he saw another why ” 
trembling on the tip of Christopher’s tongue, 
“ here we are, half-way to town and nobody 
has yet offered to relieve me of the hard task 
of driving.” 

There was instant strife for possession of the 
reins. 

“ Tut, tut, play fair. Kit, my boy, re- 
member your manners. Ladies first.” And 
grandfather handed the reins to triumphant 
Jane. 

“ Aw, she’s not a lady, she’s only a girl,” 
growled Christopher in chagrin. Anyhow, 


LETTT 


93 

it^s my turn to sit on the outside. I^m sure it 
is, and I'm going to have my turn. Move 
over, Jane, you needn’t think you can have 
everything. She needn’t be a pig, j ust because 
she’s a lady,” he added to his grandfather, 
who had laid a restraining hand upon his 
sleeve. Move over, you ! ” 

‘‘ Grandfather didn’t say to. Don’t push 
so, 3 ^ou rude boy. Ow I You’ll make me 
drop the lines.” 

“Pig!” 

“ Rude-y I ” 

“ Prude-y 1 ” 

“ Grandfather, Kit ” 

“ Telltale I ” 

“ I don’t care. You’re a rude, horrid boy,” 
said Jane, beginning to cry. 

“ And you are a stingy, tattling cry-baby. 
I just wish ” 

“ Children I ” cried grandfather sternly. 
“ I’m astonished 1 Why, do you realize what 
you are saying to each other? Jane, give me 
those reins. Christopher, stay quiet. I 
should not allow you to sit on the outside now, 
for any consideration.” 

The children succumbed meekly. When 


94 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

his grandfather called him “Christopher” 
the boy felt doubly crushed. Jane’s tender 
little heart at once began to ache. She felt 
that it had all been her fault. It was Christo- 
pher’s turn to sit on the outside and there was 
no real reason why she should have been 
given the privilege of driving first. She 
would have liked to tell Christopher that she 
was sorry, to whisper to him to make up. 
But she glanced at his face and saw that it 
would do no good to speak for the present. 
Christopher was in the sulks and she knew 
that if she apologized now he would only say 
“ shucks ” and shove her. Yet, if she waited 
until he was amiable again, he probably would 
have forgotten all about it and call her 
silly. 

But she herself soon forgot the quarrel in 
the excitement of arriving at the field again. 
Letty was not in sight and grandfather was 
engaged with Mr. Drake, so the children went 
on a tour of investigation. They visited the 
menagerie and stared at the blinking, sleepy 
looking animals for a time and then went in 
search of the ponies, which they found stabled 
in a small tent placarded as containing 


LETTT 


95 

the marvelous fat lady and thinnest living 
skeleton. 

As they stood feeding grass to the ponies 
and chattering, Letty joined them. She came 
up so softly over the thick turf that they did 
not know she was there until she spoke. 

Do you think your grandmother’s friend 
will take the ponies ? ” she asked slowly. 

The twins turned, and stared. Letty’s e3^es 
were swollen and red with weeping and her 
lip trembled as she spoke of the sale of Punch 
and Judy. 

“ I guess you hate to give ’em up,” observed 
Christopher sympathetically. 

Is that why you’ve been crying so, 
Letty ? ” asked Jane. 

Not altogether, though I shall miss the 
ponies. But I have to go away, and I haven’t, 
anywhere to go.” 

The sadness of this state of affairs touched 
the happy, well-cared for twins faintly. 

I guess you’ll find another circus to go 
with,” comforted Christopher cheerfully, after 
a little pause. 

'' Oh, I don’t want to go to another circus I 
I hate ’em ! ” 


96 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

“Then why do you cry because you are 
leaving this one?’^ demanded matter-of-fact 
Christopher. 

“ Because I havenT any home. Oh, Jane, 
do you suppose your grandmother knows of 
any one who wants a maid ? I'd be willing 
to do anything to help and have a home." 
And the tears rushed to her eyes again. 

“ Do you mean to say you'd give up a circus 
to do housework ! " ejaculated Christopher in 
great astonishment. 

“ Oh, I should be so happy to ! And 
maybe I should get time to study some." 

Christopher stared. Here was a curiosity 
indeed ; a girl who liked housework and study 
better than traveling around with a circus ! 
He remembered that Betty's other name was 
Jones and wondered if she could be any 
relation to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, who wrote 
books. He whispered this thought to Jane 
who, recollecting that it is not polite to 
whisper before people, said aloud to Betty : 

“ Do you suppose you could be any relation 
to our Mrs. Jones? Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 
She writes books." 

“ But she's awfully nice," added Christo- 


LETTT 


97 

pher reassuringly. Not a bit prosy or stuck 
up.'' 

Two red spots came into Letty's cheeks. 

‘‘ To think that you know somebody who 
writes books ! Oh, how I wish I could see 
her I " she exclaimed impulsively. 

Jane stared thoughtfully for a moment at 
the ponies and then said quickly : 

Oh, Kit, let's ask grandfather if Letty 
mayn't drive the ponies out to Sunnycrest 
herself. Then she can see Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones." 

** And we can show her the farm, too. 
That would be jolly," agreed Christopher. 

I speak to ride with Letty in the chariot." 

Letty burst out laughing. She was feel- 
ing very much excited over the children's 
plan. 

I shouldn't have to drive the chariot," 
she said. “ Mr. Drake still has the little car- 
riage I used to use at Willow Grove. Do you 
remember? " 

And I'll ask grandmother about getting 
you a place," said Jane confidentially to 
Letty, with a little air of importance. Per- 
haps Huldah would like somebody to help 


98 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

her in the kitchen. It would be nice if you 
could stay with us, wouldn’t it ? ” 

Oh, that would be too good to be true I ” 
cried Letty, bursting into tears again at the 
very thought of such happiness. 

Oh, shucks ! ” exclaimed Christopher, 
turning his back. 

Crying always embarrassed him. 


CHAPTER VII 


MRS. HARTWELL-JONES SEES PART OF THE 
CIRCUS 

Mrs. Hart well- Jones had limped pain- 
fully down-stairs from her bright, chintz- 
hung bedroom at Sunnycrest, to be in readi- 
ness for the two o’clock dinner. She seated 
herself in one of the comfortable armchairs 
on the veranda to await the return of Mr. 
Baker and the twins. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones had found these da3^s 
of her unexpected visit at Sunnycrest very 
happy ones. She was often lonely, in spite 
of having her brain so full of people. Book 
friends, even when you make them up your- 
self, are not the same as real, living, loving 
people. If it were not that she felt a little in 
the way, because of her helplessness, she 
would have wished to stay longer. Her soli- 
tary two rooms in the village did not appear 
very inviting when compared to the busy 
farm with its constant movement of life and 
99 


loo LETTT AND THE TWINS 


industry, its cheerful master and mistress and 
above all, the sound of ' children's voices in 
the house. 

When Mrs. Hartwell-Jones was much 
younger, many years before the beginning of 
this story, a very great sorrow had come into 
her life ; her husband and dear baby were 
taken from her by a dreadful accident, and 
ever since her life had been sad and lonely, 
given up to trying to make others happy and 
in learning to bear her grief bravely and pa- 
tiently. Since she no longer had a child of 
her own to care for, she set herself the task 
of making other children happy by writing 
stories for them. She was so successful in 
this that her readers were always begging for 
more, and some of Mrs. Hartwell-Jones's most 
precious possessions were the letters written 
to her by little children, to thank her for her 
stories. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones was thinking of all 
these things as she sat on the vine-covered 
veranda in the soft summer air, and perhaps 
was planning another story, when she hap- 
pened to look down the road. She looked 
hard for a moment, then she got up suddenly 


MRS. HARTWELL-JONES loi 

and walking to the door as quickly as her 
lame foot would allow, called to grandmother 
to come and look, too. 

A peculiar procession was turning in at the 
gate. First came grandfather, driving alone 
in the phaeton. Following was a man on 
horseback leading three other horses, splen- 
did, strong looking animals ; and last of all a 
girl in a pink cotton dress driving a pair of 
Shetland ponies harnessed to a tiny, low, old- 
fashioned basket-phaeton. Beside her on the 
seat sat Jane like an exalted mouse, while be- 
hind, perched on a miniature rumble, Chris- 
topher gyrated and squirmed ecstatically. 

‘‘ It looks as if they had hired the circus to 
parade out here,” exclaimed Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones to grandmother, in great astonishment. 

The cavalcade drew up at the front steps 
and grandfather handed the reins to Joshua, 
who had seen the procession from the stable 
and had come on a run, wondering if Mr. 
Baker had bought the whole circus. 

'' Now, children, ‘ I choose to tell,’ as you 
say,” said grandfather as Jane and Christopher 
began to babble in duet. “ I thought it wiser, 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, to have you see the 


102 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


ponies for yourself before buying them and 
also to have Joshua examine them to be sure 
they are sound.’’ 

“ Oh ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
from the top of the steps, and looked more 
closely at the ponies. 

She also looked at Letty without seeming 
to, and then turned and said something to 
grandmother in a low tone. 

“ This,” said grandfather, getting out of the 
phaeton and going to the side of the pony 
carriage, “ this is Miss Letty Jones, who 
knows all about the ponies.” 

And isn’t the carriage great ! ” exclaimed 
Christopher, who could not keep still another 
instant. I thought Letty would have to 
drive her chariot, and wouldn’t that have 
made a hullabaloo going through town ! But 
Mr. Drake had this carriage that Letty used 
to use in the parade before they got the 
chariot. This is the one Letty used at Willow 
Grove.” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones continued to look at 
the ponies, evidently thinking deeply. Jane 
sat, still and eager, watching Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones with bright eyes. How she hoped she 


MRS. HARlWELL-yONES 103 

would buy the ponies, dear little Punch and 
Judy. Presently she slipped out of the car- 
riage and mounted the veranda steps. 

They are so nice ! she whispered, tucking 
her hand into her grandmother’s. “ And 
Letty drove them because she wanted to see 
you, Mrs. Hartwell- Jones. She wanted to 
see you because you write books.” 

“ Would you mind driving them up or 
down once or twice ? ” she asked Letty, who 
had been fidgeting the reins, overcome with 
shyness. 

Grandfather had gone with Joshua and Mr. 
Drake to the farmyard, for the purpose of ex- 
amining the other horses. Joshua was cele- 
brated all over the countryside for his knowl- 
edge of horses. 

“ What a nice face that child has ! ” ex- 
claimed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones to grandmother 
as Letty guided the ponies at a slow trot 
around the drive, Christopher still perched 
on the rumble. Is she the little girl you 
spoke to me about? ” 

^^Yes,” replied grandmother. ^^She does 
not look like a circus girl, does she ? ” 

“ She doesn’t want to be a circus girl any 


io4,LETTr AND THE TWINS 

more,” spoke up Jane. She wants to find 
some work to do. She hasn’t any home. 
She wants to work. And I told her,” she 
added importantly, that I’d speak to you, 
grandmother, to ask if you knew of anybody 
who needed a maid.” 

A maid ! ” echoed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, as 
if she had been given a new thought. A 
maid — and no home ! ” She turned to grand- 
mother. Why would I not be the better 
one to carry out your plan, Mrs. Baker ? ” 

Just then Letty drove up and stopped 
again. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones began to ask her 
questions about the ponies ; whether they 
were afraid of trains, motor cars, or things like 
that. 

“ No, ma’am, they are very gentle,” replied 
Letty earnestly, overcoming her awe of the 
^'author-lady ” in her anxiety to do justice to 
the ponies. “ They have so much sense and 
intelligence, from being taught things that 
they always listen to reason.” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones smiled kindly. 

“Their intelligence certainly has been 
cultivated,” she agreed, “ but are they prac- 
tical ? I mean, will they be content to go 


MRS. HARTWELL-yONES 105 

jogging peacefully about country roads with 
a quiet old lady ? They might miss the 
spangle and sawdust of the circus, you know. 
Or if they heard a band play, they might 
stand up on their hind legs, carriage and all, 
and begin to waltz.’^ 

Jane and Christopher shouted with laughter 
at that suggestion. Even Letty laughed, and 
then reddened with embarrassment. 

I don’t believe they would do that,” she 
answered politely. 

If they’re anything like Letty, they’ll be 
glad to get away from the circus,” added 
Christopher. “ Isn’t Letty funny, not to like 
the circus? I should think it would be 
bully — specially with such jolly little beasts 
as Punch and Judy to show off.” 

Those are the ponies’ names, you know,” 
put in Jane. “ They are twins, grandmother, 
twin brother and sister, the same as Kit and 
me.” 

It was grandmother’s and Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones’s turn to laugh now. Then there were 
a great many more questions to be asked 
about the ponies, and everybody was so inter- 
ested and excited that they forgot all about din- 


io6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


ner — even Christopher — until Huldah came 
out the second time to say everything would 
be spoiled. Christopher was sent to the 
stable to fetch Jo Perkins to look after the 
ponies and grandmother invited Letty to stay 
for dinner. 

“ You must be very hungry,” said Jane, as 
she led Letty up-stairs to wash her hands. 
“ I am always starved when I’ve been to the 
village. Huldah cooks awfully good din- 
ners.” 

It was impossible for any one to feel shy 
very long in that cheerful household, and 
Letty soon began to enjoy herself very much, 
although she was very quiet. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s mind was still busy 
over that new idea that Jane’s speech had 
given her and she watched Letty very closely 
without seeming to do so. 

She is a very sweet-mannered child,” she 
reflected. I find it hard to realize that she 
is only a little circus girl. She must have 
had a wonderfully good mother. I must 
manage to have a long talk with her.” 

After dinner the real business began. 
Joshua examined the ponies carefully while 


MRS. HARTWELL-JONES 107 

the twins looked on with bated breath. Sup- 
pose Joshua should find something wrong 
with those delightful, charming little ani- 
mals I 

'' But he couldn’t, oh, he couldn’t I ” whis- 
pered Jane to herself over and over. 

And Joshua didn’t. 

Then the price must be settled upon. As 
this subject did not interest the children, and 
as they were forbidden to drive the ponies 
again because they must be rested for the re- 
turn trip to the circus field, they carried Letty 
off to show her Juno’s puppies, the orchard, 
and their treasures and playgrounds gener- 
ally. 

If I’d a-thought the lady would surely 
take the ponies,” said Mr. Drake when the 
transaction was satisfactorily concluded, I’d 
a-druv over with another horse, so’s Letty an’ 
me could of got back and I could of left the 
ponies right now. But I guess my wife ’ll be 
glad to have one more good sight of ’em. It’s 
strange how fond we all are of them ponies, 
mem ; something like they was pet dogs. 
The little un,” pointing with his thumb in 
the direction in which Letty had disappeared, 


io8 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


she’ll most cry her eyes out, I guess. Poor 
little un, I’m afraid there’s a good many troub- 
les ahead o’ her.” And he shook his head 
regretfully. He had a kind heart under his 
rough jacket. 

1 was given to understand that the girl is 
to leave you?” said Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
thoughtfully. “ Is she no relation at all to 
you or your wife? ” 

No, mem, none at all. Her big brother 
Ben was our prize tight-rope w^alker. A 
wonder, he was. But he fell an’ broke his 
neck ; dreadful accident, mem. It happened 
only last summer. The little un took on 
dreadful. She always lived with her big 
brother ; all her folks are dead and she hasn’t 
any friends but us. Folk ain’t very cordial 
to circus folk and their kin, for some reason, 
though you couldn’t find a nicer spoken child 
than Miss Letty there. After the accident 
we kept her on with us. She’s most aston- 
ishin’ helpful. My wife she sets great store 
by her, but Letty don’t seem to care for the 
rovin’ life. I guess she won’t mind parting 
company, ’cept for bein’ sorry to leave my 
wife an’ the kid. But it’s powerful uncertain 


MRS. HARTWELL-JONES 109 

what^s to become of her. My wife ’ll do the 
best she can for her when we get to the city.” 

‘‘ I was thinking,” said Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
slowly, “that perhaps I could find a position 
for the girl. But I should like to talk to 
your wife first.” 

“ Yes’m ? ” replied the man hopefully. “ I 
guess my wife could suit you all right about 
Letty’s character, mem. We’d like first-rate 
to see Letty get a good place of some sort, 
where she was treated kind and not worked 
too hard.” 

“ Mr. Baker,” said Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, 
turning to grandfather, “ I’d like to ask a 
favor of you. Might Joshua drive the phaeton 
into the village — to where Mr. Drake has his 
tents — to bring me home? I think I should 
like to take a drive behind my new ponies to 
see how I am going to like them and the little 
carriage.” For the basket-phaeton had been 
bought, too. 

Grandfather was only too delighted to put 
any carriage at all at Mrs. Hart well- Jones’s 
disposal, and word was sent to Joshua at once, 
while Mrs. Hartwell-Jones limped into the 
house to consult with grandmother. 


no LETTT AND THE TWIN^ 


When Jane and Christopher learned that 
Letty was to drive Mrs. Hartwell-Jones into 
the village in the pony carriage they were 
very eager to go too, of course, but grand- 
mother said no, they might not go. They 
would make too big a load in the pony 
carriage for so long a drive, and would crowd 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones too much in the phaeton 
coming back. Christopher had a dozen or 
more arguments and different arrangements 
by which he and Jane could dispose of them- 
selves for the excursion. 

“ I could drive the ponies, Jane could sit in 
the rumble and Letty could squeeze in be- 
tween Josh and Mr. Drake in the phaeton, 
he exclaimed, in a positive tone, as if no 
possible fault or objection could be found to 
so excellent an arrangement. 

But grandmother was firm. The fact was 
that Mrs. Hartwell-Jones had confided her 
plan to grandmother and in order to think of 
carrying it out that lady required to have a 
long talk alone with Letty and with Mrs. 
Drake, the wife of the circus manager. 

The “ lady who wrote books ” felt very hard 
hearted as she was helped carefully into the 


1 1 1 


MRS. HARTWELL-JONES 

low pony carriage, at thus leaving Jane and 
Christopher behind. They took such a long, 
affectionate farewell of the ponies and Letty, 
and stared so wistfully at the little rumble ! 
But she comforted herself with the thought 
that if her plan worked out properly, the 
children would have many opportunites dur- 
ing the summer for long drives and games. 


CHAPTER VIII 


jane’s idea 

Mrs. Hartwell- Jones and Letty were very 
silent at first as they drove along. Letty was 
quite overcome with shyness and Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones was considering what it was best 
to say first. She was very anxious to have a 
long talk with Letty, which was the reason 
why she had not wished Jane and Christopher 
to come too. For Mrs. Hartwell- Jones’s plan 
was nothing more nor less than to take Letty 
herself, to act as little errand girl and com- 
panion during the summer ; then in the 
autumn when she returned to the city, to put 
the child in school and enable her to grow up 
well-taught and fitted to take her place in 
the working world. But there were a great 
many things to be thought about and talked 
over first. 

“ My dear, tell me something about your- 
self, will you ? ” she asked gently, after the 
112 


JANETS IDEA 113 

gate had been passed and the ponies were 
trotting sedately over the smooth country 
road toward the village. 

‘‘About myself!” exclaimed Letty in as- 
tonishment. “Why, there isn't anything to 
tell. I'm just Letty Jones.'' 

“ How long have you been with Mr. and 
Mrs. Drake ? '' 

“Three years this fall. My brother '' 

She stopped a moment to swallow hard and 
then went bravely on : “ My brother was 

with the circus. He performed on the tight 
rope. Then after he fell and — and died, Mrs. 
Drake said I might stay on and help round. 
I had nowhere else to go. I am fond of 
Punch and Judy, and Mrs. Drake was always 
kind to me, but '' 

“ But what, dear child ? '' 

“ I hate a circus I '' 

“ You poor child I Tell me how you hap- 
pened to join a circus in the first place. 
Tell me more about it all. When did your 
parents die and where was your home when 
they were living? '' 

“ In Philadelphia. But my father died 
when I was a tiny baby. I don't remember 


II4 LETTr AND THE TWINS 

him at all. We were very poor and my mother 
was not strong. My brother Ben was only 
sixteen years old when father died — he was 
fourteen years older than I. He ran errands 
at a theatre, ‘ call boy ^ I think it was called, 
and mother took in sewing. After a while 
Ben learned how to do tumbling from a man 
who had an act at the theatre and taught me 
how to spring up and balance on his head. 
Mr. Goldberg engaged us for his little theatre 
at Willow Grove. He was a very kind 
manager and used to give me big boxes of 
candy. But mother never liked my doing it. 
She was glad when, about the middle of the 
summer, a trained bear that was performed 
in the theatre went mad or something from 
the heat and they had to take him away ; 
then Mr. Drake brought Punch and Judy and 
offered to teach me how to put them through 
their tricks instead of the trained bear. 
Mother was much happier because I did not 
have to jump with Ben any more. 

“ It was a very happy summer ! And 
Letty sighed. It was the last my mother 
ever lived,’^ she added in a low, choked 
voice. 


JANETS IDEA 115 

When did it happen, dear little child, and 
how old were you?'’ asked Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones softly. 

It was that next fall. I — I was hardly 
ten years old. Mrs. Drake was with us. She 
lived in the neighborhood and — and afterward 
she took me with her. I have been with her 
ever since," and Letty sighed again. 

You poor, forlorn child ! " exclaimed Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones tenderly. What a melan- 
choly life you have had ! " 

“ Only since — since I lost my mother," 
replied Letty quickly. “ I was very happy 
before that." 

Have you ever been to school? " 

Not very much. My mother taught me 
until she was not strong enough and then I 
went to school." 

Did you like it? " 

No, ma'am. Not a bit. The other girls 
were horrid to me and wouldn't make friends. 
At least the girls my own age wouldn't. 
They said I was only a little circus girl. I 
wasn't as far along in my lessons as they were, 
either, and had to go into a class with real 
little girls who thought I was stupid and 


ii6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


made fan of me until I read aloud to them. 
Then they liked me better. 

“ But that was before mother died. After 
that I couldn’t bear to go to school any more 
that winter.” 

“ You poor, motherless little girl ! ” cried 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones again, with a catch in her 
own voice. “And was there no joy — no spot 
of color in all that dull, dreary time? ” 

“ Ben was always good to me. He was very 
busy at the theatre all winter, but whenever 
he could spare the time he took me for walks. 
Once he took me to a concert. A lady sang, 
oh, so beautifully ! 

“ And there was the church music, too. I 
loved it there ; it was a ver}^ big church with 
beautiful stained glass windows. The organ 
hummed so grandly and little boys in white 
gowns and voices like angels sang. Oh, it 
was wonderful ! ” 

“ I see you are fond of music,” observed 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, glancing with pleased 
surprise at the little girl’s flushed cheeks and 
shining eyes. 

“ Oh, so fond I ” replied Letty eagerly. 

Then she stopped, seized with a new fit of 


JANETS IDEA 117 

shyness. How had it come about that she 
should be chattering so freely all this time to 
the great lady of whom she had felt in such 
awe an hour before ; the writer of books ! 
Somehow she had forgotten all about her 
greatness and riches ; she had felt only the 
loving kindness and sympathy of her manner. 

Ever since her mother’s death Letty had 
had an odd, tight feeling around her heart ; 
as if it had been tucked into a case that was 
too small for it. When Ben died the case had 
grown smaller and tighter until it cut like a 
metal band. She had never been able to talk 
to any one of her grief until something in 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s manner had appealed 
to the trustfulness of the sensitive, lonely 
child. And her heart felt less swollen and 
sore after she had spoken. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones asked no more ques- 
tions for a time, and Letty went over in her 
mind her day’s experience ; the gay, happy 
children, the big, sunny farmhouse with its 
green lawns and orchard and last, but not 
least, the good dinner and general homey 
feeling. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s thoughts were busy 


ii8 LETTT AND THE TtVINS 


too, and all that Letty had told her made her 
the more decided to take the girl from her 
present surroundings. But she said nothing 
to Letty. She would wait until she had had 
her talk, as she had determined, with Mrs. 
Drake. 

In the meantime the twins, left at home at 
Sunnycrest, felt a bit flat. 

“ Tm glad Mrs. Hartwell-Jones has bought 
the ponies,’^ said Jane, idly swinging on the 
gate. ’Cause she’ll take us driving with 
them lots of times, I think.” 

It’s lucky Josh found ’em all right,” 
responded Christopher. He knows a lot 
about horses. Josh does, and he might have 
found something wrong.” 

Oh, he couldn’t have been so mean as to 
say anything was wrong about ’em. He just 
couldn’t help loving the cunning little 
things.” 

'' It isn’t a question of loving,” retorted 
Christopher grandly. It’s a question of 
spavins or — or heaves, or heart disease. Those 
are horse’s diseases, you know.” 

“ They aren’t all horse’s diseases. People 
can have some of ’em. Leastways, nurse said 


JANE'S IDEA 119 

Norah Flannigan had heart disease and that 
was what made her eyes stick out, like a 
frog’s.” 

What did her eyes sticking out have to do 
with it? ” 

•iiWhy, greeny, don’t you know that when 
people have heart disease their eyes always 
bulge ? It’s a symptom. I asked mother and 
she said so. But who I’m sorry for is Letty,” 
she went on hastily. She saw that Christo- 
pher was about to question further about this 
most interesting symptom of heart trouble and 
she did not wish to betray the fact that she 
had come to the end of her knowledge. 

What are you sorry for Letty for ? Has 
she got heart disease ? ” 

No, but she hasn’t any home.” 

Well, but she’s got a circus to belong to 
and that’s lots more exciting.” 

“ But she doesn’t like a circus. She said 
so. She doesn’t like traveling around and 
living in a tent. And now that Punch and 
Judy are gone from the circus she won’t have 
anything to do. I wish grandmother had let 
her stay here to help Huldah.” 

^^So do I,” replied Christopher cruelly. 


120 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


“ ’Cause then she’d be around to play dolls 
with you and I could get off more to go with 
the boys.” 

If you want to play with the boys, why 
don’t you go ? ” said Jane loftily. I’m sure 
I don’t want your company if you don’t want 
to stay.” 

Just then she spied something enveloped in 
a cloud of dust coming up the road, and her 
tone changed. 

Kit Baker, who’s that? ” 

“ Huh ? ” asked Christopher, glancing at 
the approaching dust cloud with pretended 
surprise. “ Oh, that’s just Bill Carpenter 
coming out to see the pups. Grandfather said 
I might give him one. And we’re going to 
talk baseball too a bit. The fellows want me 
on the nine. You needn’t go away, though ; 
there’s no secret,” he added politely, as Jane 
climbed down off the gate. 

The dust cloud had by this time revolved 
upon them and disclosed a small, freckled boy 
on a big bicycle. Jane gave her brother one 
hurt, angry look, turned her back and with- 
out a word ran into the house. 

^‘What’s the matter?” called grandmother. 


121 


JANETS IDEA 

catching sight of the red, scowling face as Jane 
passed the sitting-room door. 

“Oh, nothing,’’ answered Jane carelessly, 
turning and entering the room. “ Kit’s got a 
boy out there, so I thought I’d come in and 
see if Huldah wanted me to help her.” 

Grandmother peered out the window at the 
backs of two boys disappearing around the 
corner of the house in the direction of the 
stable. 

“ I don’t believe Huldah is in the kitchen, 
dear,” she said, “ but perhaps you would like 
to sit with me for a little while? I have 
some pretty bits of silk put away that I have 
been saving up for you to make a doll’s quilt. 
I thought they might come in useful when 
you and I were sitting together over a bit of 
sewing.” 

This suggestion made Jane feel very grown 
up — almost like a lady come in to spend the 
afternoon. The sulky frown smoothed itself 
out at once. Grandmother directed her where 
to find the box of silks, threaded her needle 
and advised in a most interested way about 
the choice of colors. 

Jane seated herself in a low rocking-chair 


122 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


beside an open window and felt very impor- 
tant indeed as she snipped squares of silk and 
sewed them together. She forgave her brother 
his preference for boys, she forgot to be curious 
as to which puppy Billy Carpenter might 
choose. She even forgot, in the general grown- 
upness of the occasion, that she did not like 
sewing. And crowning joy, when Huldah 
brought a tea tray in at five o’clock, grand- 
mother poured her out a cup of tea — with 
plenty of hot water, to be sure — from her own 
teapot. Jane pretended that there were other 
guests present, taking tea, too. This game 
added to her dignity and it also accounted, 
most conveniently, for the rapid disappearance 
of the cakes and cookies. 

Grandmother,” said Jane, feeling quite 
grown up enough to discuss any subject, “ I 
was so sorry for Letty.” 

Yes, poor little child. It is hard to be 
motherless.” 

“ She asked me if I thought there was any 
chance of her getting a place around here. I 
thought perhaps you might like to take her 
to help Huldah.” 

Mrs. Baker did not answer for a few mo- 


JANETS IDEA 123 

ments, but bent silently over her knitting. 
Then she said : 

Janey, dear, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones did not 
wish anything said about it until the question 
was settled, one way or the other, but I am 
going to see if you can keep a secret.” 

“ Oh, grandmother, dear, of course I can I 
Oh, what is it ? ” cried Jane eagerly, jumping 
up and spilling the whole box of silk scraps 
out upon the floor. 

She thinks of taking Letty — that is, if 
Mrs. Drake can answer satisfactorily all the 
questions that must be asked — to wait on her 
this summer ; and then in the fall to put her 
at some good school where she will be taught 
how to earn her own living when she grows 
up.” 

Oh, grandmother, how perfectly perfect I 
And can’t Mrs. Hartwell-Jones stay here with 
us all summer, instead of going back to Mr. 
Parsons’ house in the village ? 

“ I shall keep her, certainly, as long as she 
will stay, Janey dear. But do you see how 
wonderful all this is going to be for Letty ? 
Now, she is a homeless little girl, with no- 
where to go in the wide, wide world ; but if 


124 , LETTT AND THE TIEINS 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones takes her she will be 
housed and cared for and protected. It is a 
fearful thing to be a little girl alone in the 
world, Janey.’’ 

“ Yes, grandmother,” replied Jane solemnly. 
“ And wouldn’t it be a surprise if Letty should 
turn out to be a relation of Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones’s ? It would be like one of her own 
stories, wouldn’t it?” 

Yes, it certainly would be wonderful. 
But there is not much likelihood of that, dear. 
There are a great many Joneses in the world.” 

“Yes, it seems to be a very popular name. 
But, grandmother, when shall we know surely, 
if Letty is coming back? ” 

“ I think it is pretty certain,” replied 
grandmother with a smile. “ Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones had about made up her mind before 
she started, and Mrs. Drake will not have very 
much to say against Letty, if we are to believe 
Mr. Drake’s account. The child will be a 
great help to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, with her 
lame ankle.” 

Jane was gathering up the scattered scraps 
of bright colored silk. 

“I think I won’t sew any more just now, 


JANETS IDEA 125 

grandmother, if you will 'scuse me. I want 
to go out to the gate and watch for them to 
come back.” 

Outside the sitting-room door she met the 
boys. Her superiority in having been con- 
fided a secret made her very amiable, and 
when she saw that Billy Carpenter carried a 
puppy, she forgot her injury in examining the 
ball of fur to decide which puppy it was. 
But she kept one e3^e on the gate and pres- 
ently tumbled the puppy back into Billy’s arms 
and ran off toward the driveway with a shout. 

Bill was not expecting the burden at that 
moment and the fat puppy fell yelping to the 
ground. But Jane did not turn round. 

“ What in the world ! ” ejaculated Christo- 
pher, who had never before seen Jane deaf to 
cries of distress. 

“ Perhaps she feels bad about your giving 
away the pup,” suggested Billy, picking up 
the whining little beast. 

The two boys bent over the puppy to see if 
its fall had injured it and neither of them 
noticed the approach of the pony carriage, 
again being driven, to Jane’s unspeakable joy, 
by Letty. 


CHAPTER IX 


HAPPY DAYS 

The arrival of Letty at Sunnycrest was the 
herald of many happy days. Of course Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones gave grandmother all the 
particulars of her interview with Mrs. Drake, 
but the mere fact that Letty was there satisfied 
the twins ; they carried her off to the orchard, 
completely contented at the new turn events 
had taken. 

Here’s where we play fairies,” said Jane, 
leading the way to the orchard. This is 
Titania’s throne — this mound with the grape- 
vine twisted into a seat. Kit made it for me. 
Isn’t he clever ? He plays with me, too ; 
sometimes he’s Oberon and sometimes he’s 
Puck. He’s funniest when he’s Puck.” 

“ I said something to Bill Carpenter about 
Puck to-day, and he thought I meant a funny 
paper,” exclaimed Christopher scornfully. 
“ Just fancy not knowing about Puck ! ” 

I’m afraid I don’t know,” said Letty shyly, 
126 


HAPPT DATS 


127 

her face getting very red at the thought of 
these children knowing so much more than 
she did. Was he a fair}^ ? 

Oh, yes, and there’s a play about him in 
the house. Will you read us the story ? ” 

Some time,” replied Letty hesitatingly, 
doubtful if she could read well enough. She 
had not progressed very much in her lessons 
during these past three years. 

Do you know any stories? ” asked Jane, 
settling herself comfortably upon Titania’s 
throne. 

“ I — I make up stories sometimes to myself 
and — and songs.” 

Oh, do you sing?” put in Christopher. 

What sort of songs ? Sing us one, that’s a 
good girl.” 

I only know two or three songs with 
tunes to them. I’ll sing them for you some 
time, but not now. I must go see if Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones needs me.” 

Everything Mrs. Drake could tell me was 
satisfactory,” Mrs. Hartwell-Jones was saying 
to grandmother. ‘‘Letty’s mother, it seems, 
must have been a very unusual woman, a 
* real lady ’ Mrs. Drake called her.” 


12% LETTT AND THE TWINS 

I remember my daughter-in-law said the 
same thing,” put in grandmother. 

The son was fond of his little sister but 
careless of her and too fond of his own good 
times. The Drakes have kept her on with 
them since her brother’s death out of pure 
kindness of heart. Mrs. Drake said she 
thought of trying to get Letty a place as 
nursemaid when they went back to the city ; 
she is so fond of children and so patient 
and good to Mrs. Drake’s baby. You should 
have seen how Letty cried and hugged that 
baby when we came away.” 

How sad it would have been,” said grand- 
mother, “ to have cast that poor child upon 
the world at her age.” 

“ What a mercy it is that your dear little 
Janey gave me my idea. In the past I have 
done what I could for charity, as every one 
does ; that is, I have given sums of money to 
different hospitals and all that. But I have 
always wanted to have some personal work to 
do, and now I have it, in bringing up this 
poor orphaned child.” 

And you will grow fond of her, 
too,” added grandmother. She has such 


HAPPT DATS 


129 

a sweet face and such nice, thoughtful 
ways.’^ 

think I am fond of her already ; fond 
and interested.” 

Have you any plans ? ” 

I suppose I shall send her to boarding- 
school in the autumn. But the poor child is 
wofully behind her years in knowledge. I 
shall write to the city for books and set her a 
daily task at once. 

And now about my visit to you, dear Mrs. 
Baker. It is very kind of you to take Letty 
in as well as me, and those great ponies too. 
But I must not impose upon your hospitality 
too long. As soon as arrangements can be 
made, Letty and I must return to the village. 
Now that I have a willing pair of little feet to 
wait upon me and run my errands I shall get 
on nicely. We stopped on the way home this 
afternoon at Mr. Parsons^ and bespoke a room 
for Letty. Mr. Parsons thinks he can make 
room for the ponies in his stable.” 

We shall be very sorry to see you go,” 
replied Mrs. Baker regretfully, “ but I dare say 
you will feel freer and more undisturbed in 
your own rooms. The children will missyou.” 


120 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

“ I hope they will come in to see me often — 
every day, if they wish. We shall have little 
tea-parties in my sitting-room or down under 
the trees. And I trust you will come too, to 
drink tea with me.^^ 

So matters were arranged ; much to the 
children’s disappointment at first, but when 
they understood the extent of Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones’s invitations to them, they were frankly 
delighted. They did not like the idea of 
losing Letty and the ponies, but the prospect 
of almost daily tea-parties made them look 
forward almost with eagerness to the time of 
Mrs. Hart well- Jones’s return to her own 
rooms in the village. 

Jane was filled with rapture at the idea of 
more fairy plays, for Letty had entered into 
the game of dolls as eagerly and interestedly 
as Jane herself, her vivid imagination making 
the dainty waxen creatures seem all but 
alive. Christopher, for his part, rejoiced 
secretly over the chances these visits promised 
of going to the village and continuing his 
intimacy with Billy Carpenter. 

Billy and half a dozen other village boys 
were trying to get up a baseball nine, and 


HAPPT DATS 131 

Christopher and Jo Perkins had both been 
invited to join. Billy Carpenter came out to 
Sunnycrest nearly every afternoon on his 
bicycle, and he and Jo Perkins and Christo- 
pher had great times practicing pitching and 
batting down in the long meadow. 

Grandmother looked on at this new friend- 
ship of Christopher’s with some surprise and 
a little uneasiness. Until the present time, 
the twins had been inseparable, sharing their 
pleasures and enjoying the same games. Jane 
was hurt sometimes by Christopher’s desertion, 
but she was too busy and happy to feel badly 
for long, and after Letty came she was quite 
reconciled to Christopher’s new friends. 

Letty was a delightful playfellow, always 
ready for whatever game Jane was pleased to 
suggest, and as Mrs. Hartwell-Jones demanded 
very little of her new companion’s time, she 
was able to devote herself to Jane. Every 
morning Letty drove Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
out in the pony carriage, Jane and Christopher 
taking turns in the little seat behind ; then 
there was an hour’s work over arithmetic and 
reading. After that the two little girls might 
amuse themselves as they pleased. 


1^2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Huldah enjoyed having them in the 
kitchen. Letty soon proved to be more of a 
helper than Jane herself, and was so gen- 
uinely interested in the art of cooking that 
Huldah good-naturedly offered to give her a 
few practical lessons. 

It was while these cooking lessons were go- 
ing on that Jane generally wrote her letters 
to her mother. It was a positive rule that 
the twins were to write either to their father 
or mother at least once a week. It may 
sound hard to say that this had to be made a 
rule but if you, my dears, are like most chil- 
dren, you will understand how difficult it is 
to find time to write letters even to those 3’ou 
love best in the world. But Jane rather 
liked it when she got started — if there was 
some one at hand to help with the spelling 
and the letters need not be long. Before sail- 
ing on the big steamer, Mrs. Baker, Jr., had 
given each of her children a little writing- 
case containing paper, envelopes, a box for 
pens and pencils, a tiny compartment for 
stamps and an ink-bottle, all complete. It 
was the first time Jane had ever been 
allowed to write with ink, and that added 


HAPPY DATS 


133 

to the importance of her weekly letter-writ- 
ing. 

So while Huldah and Letty talked busily 
over recipes — “ three cups of sifted flour ; 
the whites of four eggs beaten stiff ; two even 
teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and other 
mysteries, Jane toiled away over her foreign 
correspondence. Jane loved her mother dearly 
and missed her — at times — more than any 
one guessed. As it was her joy when they 
were all at home to pour out into mother’s 
sympathetic ears all the little details of each 
day’s happiness, so now she told, in shorter 
form but with as faithful accuracy, the events 
of Sunnycrest. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s acci- 
dent, the finding of her by the twins and her 
coming to Sunnycrest, had all been told in a 
previous letter. Now there was the account 
of the circus and the finding of Letty to re- 
late, and when the crooked, blotty little letter 
reached Mrs. Christopher Baker, Jr., in Berlin, 
I am sure she was touched by the story of the 
orphaned circus girl who had been given a 
home by a kind, generous woman. And, 
mother-like, her heart must have glowed 
with pride at the thought that her little girl’s 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

sympathy and love for a fellow creature had 
spoken the word which brought Letty a re- 
ward for her act of heroism long ago. 

Letty was supremely happy. She was 
hardly old enough to realize all that she had 
been saved from, but the joy of being well fed 
and cared for filled her cup of happiness to 
overflowing. This change in her circum- 
stances did not make the child selfish and 
lazy, as it might have affected some natures, 
easily spoiled by comfort; but more eager and 
willing to serve those who had been so kind 
to her. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and grand- 
mother agreed that there was no fear of being 
disappointed in Letty’s disposition, and the 
lady who wrote books found Mrs. Baker’s 
prophecy already coming true. She was 
growing fond of Letty. 

‘‘ I find myself looking forward quite 
eagerly to my return to the city in the 
autumn,” she said to grandmother. Letty 
will need some clothes before she goes to 
school, of course, and it will be such a 
pleasure to buy them. It has been so long 
since I have had any one to buy clothes for,” 
she added, the tears coming to her eyes. I 



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HAPPY DATS 


13s 

dare confess now, Mrs. Baker, how much I 
have envied you Janey and Kit this sum- 
mer.” 

They are dear children,” agreed grand- 
mother with a sigh, “ but they are growing 
up so fast ! Until this year they were always 
^ the children.' Now Jane is a girl and Kit a 
boy.” Grandmother paused a moment as if 
she wished to say something more, but she 
was afraid of boring her visitor by discussing 
the children too much and changed the subject. 

It happened that the afternoon of the day 
before that set for the return of Letty and 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones to the village was very 
hot, and all the grown-ups had retired to their 
own rooms to lie down. The children were 
told to stay quietly in the shade until the 
sun was lower, and Letty agreed to tell them 
stories. So they settled themselves under a 
large tree in the garden close to the house 
and, as it happened, just underneath Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones's window. 

Letty began with Jack the Giant Killer,” 
which she had read in one of Jane's old 
books, but found that she was listened to 
with only polite interest. 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

“ I think Jack ought to have saved the 
giant’s wife before he cut down the bean- 
stalk/’ said Christopher disgustedly, when the 
story was ended, “ after she had treated him 
so kindly and all. It was a shame to leave her 
up there without any way of getting down.” 

“ She was the fairy, you goose,” exclaimed 
Jane, who first told Jack that all the giant’s 
treasure belonged to his mother, and so she 
could easily get down, because fairies can go 
anywhere.” 

Don’t you know any other stories, Letty ?” 
asked Christopher. “ New ones ? ” 

“ Make up one ! ” urged Jane. “ You know 
you said you did sometimes.” 

But they aren’t really stories ; I mean not 
long ones. They’re just little thoughts about 
the birds and flowers and things talking. But 
I will try to tell you a story I read once, that 
I love dearly. It was a story in a magazine 
that a girl lent me at school, and I loved it so 
that I read it over and over again. I think I 
know it by heart and I’ll tell it to you if you 
think it will interest you. It’s not exactly a 
boy’s story,” she added apologetically, looking 
at Christopher. 


HAPPT DATS 


137 

Oh, never mind, fire away,’^ answered 
Christopher grandly. 

Christopher was very comfortable, sprawled 
on his back in the shade, and was ready to be 
amused by anything except a nursery tale. 

“ Well, then, here is the story. It is called 
‘ Thistledown.' " 

** ^ Thistledown,’ ” repeated Christopher, 
that’s a funny name.” 

Thistledown was the fairy’s name, and 
you’ll see what he got for being naughty and 
mischievous. Well ” 

Before you begin, Letty,” broke in Jane, 
please make Kit promise one thing — that he 
won’t interrupt.” 

Huh, I’d like to know who was the first 
to interrupt,” mocked Christopher. 

** I didn’t interrupt. The story hadn’t be- 
gun yet. Make him promise, Letty, do.” 

“ I don’t see why I have to promise.” 

'' Because it spoils a story so, Kit. Please 
promise. Betty’s going to recite the story, 
just as we do our poetry at school, and she 
might forget something if she had to stop in 
the middle. Besides, explanations cut up a 
story so. Come on, say you won’t interrupt, 


LETrr ^ND THE TJVINS 

like a good boy. I know you won’t if you 
only promise.” 

Well, I’ll not interrupt if you don’t,” con- 
ceded Christopher. Go on, Letty, let’s hear 
what happened to Thistledown.” 


CHAPTER X 


THISTLEDOWN 

** Well,” commenced Letty cheerfully, it 
began like this : 

'' Thistledown was a roguish elf and, I am 
afraid, rather a selfish little fellow. The sight 
of good examples did not make him want to 
be useful or helpful at all. Indeed, nothing 
could make him work except to threaten to 
take away his liberty. For Thistledown 
prized his liberty dearly. Not from the high, 
noble motives of honor and self-respect that 
are the reasons why most people insist upon 
having their rights, but because to Thistle- 
down his liberty meant his happiness. It 
meant nice long, warm hours in which to float 
idly about the great sunshiny world with 
never a thought or care in his feather-brained 
head. 

** He was not a bothersome elf, as idle folk 
are so apt to be. He was too lazy to tease — 
139 


1^0 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

except to give an occasional passing tickle to 
the long nose of some serious old gnome bent 
over his work, when Thistledown’s merry 
laugh at the goblin’s sneeze and start of sur- 
prise was so jolly that the gnome had to laugh 
too, and so no cross words were spoken. 

“ The breezes were Thistledown’s best 
friends. They were as lazy and careless 
as himself, and the kindred spirits got on 
splendidly together. The breezes would carry 
him on long, swift rides astride their backs, or 
float with him lazily along over sweet-smell- 
ing fields of flowers. Sometimes they would 
dip him in the brook, but Thistledown did not 
mind that, for he shed water like a duck and 
the little plunge served finely to cool him off 
on hot summer days. 

But lazy folk are bound to be punished 
sooner or later, for it is not right to be lazy, 
and everything that is not right in the world 
is sure to be punished some time or other. 
And so it happened — but I am going to let 
Thistledown tell his story in his own way. 
(Yes, Kit, that is just the way it was in the 
magazine.) 

One day as Thistledown was floating over a 


THISTLEDOWN 


141 

field of daisies, he spied a spot of yellow 
among the flowers that was very much larger 
than any of the daisy centres, and much shinier 
and softer. Too lazy to wonder what the new 
kind of blossom could be, but thinking that it 
looked like a snug, silky place for a nap, he 
dropped down upon it. Immediately his 
downy wings became mixed up in a soft tangle 
of long golden threads that curled and twined 
about in a distressfully confusing way, all 
around him. 

‘‘ Thistledown became frightened, but the 
more he struggled to free himself the more 
tangled he became in the golden mesh. At 
last he saw approaching him what he knew 
to be a person’s hand and his little heart sank 
within him as he felt this new prison closing 
about him. The touch of the small hand was 
very gentle so that not one of Thistledown’s 
feathers was crushed. But he was very much 
frightened nevertheless, poor little fellow, and 
closed his eyes tight for a minute. 

When he dared to open them again he 
found himself being surveyed very seriously 
by a pair of big blue eyes. 

** ' Now, sir.’ said the little girl (I am sure 


1^2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

you have guessed before now that Thistle- 
down’s golden prison was a little girl’s curls), 
‘ Now, sir,’ she said, ‘ before I let you go, you 
must tell me a story, please.’ ^ 

“ She was a very polite little girl and al- 
though she knew that she held Thistledown 
in her power and that he simply had to do 
whatever she told him to, whether he wanted 
to or not, still she said ^ sir ’ and ‘ please ’ 
when she asked for her story, for she was a 
very polite little girl. 

The politeness pleased Thistledown — as 
nice manners always do please every one — but 
his little wits could not think of anything 
like a story. 

‘ I’m afraid I don’t know any story,’ he 
replied, trying to be as polite as the little girl. 

‘ Oh, 3^es, you do. You’re sure to,’ she de- 
clared, with a grave little nod of her head. 
‘ Tell me about your ad-ven-tures ! ’ 

This was a very big word for such a little 
girl, but she got it out quite correctly. Be- 
sides, she knew very well what the word 
meant, because she had seen it so often on the 
back of a book on her sister’s book-shelf. 
‘ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.’ 


THISTLEDOWN 


143 

“ Thistledown squirmed and wriggled and 
began to grow warm and cross. 

“ ^ I don’t know any stories. And I never 
had any adventures — except once/ he added, 
remembering something all at once. 

“ ^ Oh, please do tell me about it,’ coaxed 
the little girl. 

She looked so pretty, and besides, she held 
him so firmly, that Thistledown saw that the 
sooner he told his story the sooner he would 
be free, so he began at once : 

“ ‘ It happened so long ago that I may for- 
get parts, but I’ll tell it the best I know how. 
I was flying home from a party one afternoon 
and as it was almost dark I was in a good deal 
of a hurry. Pretty soon, down at the edge of 
a field of tall grasses, I saw an old firefly pok- 
ing about as if he were looking for something. 
I stopped to see what was the matter, for it was 
too dark to hope to find anything, and the old 
firefly’s lantern gave out hardly any light at 
all. 

^ I supposed his light was dim because the 
old fellow was too lazy to make it shine 
brighter. I had seen the gnomes blowing up 
their forge fires with a pair of bellows to 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

make them burn brighter and I supposed 
the firefly’s lantern worked the same way. So 
I got behind the old fellow as he stooped to 
look under a clump of violet leaves, and I 
gave a quick, sharp little blow — pouf — like 
that, at his lantern. But what do you sup- 
pose happened ? It went out ! 

“ ^ I was terribly surprised and a bit 
frightened, for that horrid old firefly thought 
that I had done it on purpose. He whirled 
around before I could spread my wings, and 
caught hold of me. 

“ ‘ “ You wicked, wicked little sprite ! ” he 
exclaimed, almost squeezing the breath out of 
me. How dared you, oh, how dared you ! ” 
^ I never dreamed he could move so fast 
and I was too surprised to get out of his way. 
If you have ever had a firefly on your hand 
you know how sticky their legs feel. Well, 
the old firefly held me by all his legs, squeez- 
ing me tight and mussing my party feathers. 
Lifting me off the ground, he flew away with 
me, scolding all the while. 

a ‘ You are a vicious little vagabond,” he 
said. I don’t know what he meant, but those 
are the very words he used and I know they 


THISTLEDOWN 


145 

meant something disagreeable. He thought 
I had blown out his light, just for mischief. 
“ But you shall be punished for it,” he went 
on. “ 111 see to it. I shall take you to the 
King himself! ” 

« < I grew more and more frightened. His 
voice was so very cross and he clutched me so 
tight. Then, too, we were flying along 
through the dark over flelds I had never 
visited before. I have always been afraid in 
the dark ’ (here the little girl nodded her 
head understandingly and looked about her 
at the bright sunshine gratefully). ^ And the 
grasses rustled so queerly. I began to be 
afraid that they, too, meant to do me harm. 

“ * At last, after we had been flying for 
what seemed to me to be hours, we reached a 
sort of open place, all bare and cold looking, 
with high rocks all about it. There were 
thousands of fireflies inside this place, all 
with their lanterns brightly burning. On 
one side a great many flies were bunched to- 
gether to light a kind of throne, and on this 
throne sat the King and Queen of the Fire- 
flies. My heart was in my mouth as my 
captor carried me across to them, for the 


14,6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

King was ever so much bigger than any of 
the other fireflies and I did not know what 
he might do to punish me. 

“ ‘ There were two or three other firefiies 
talking to the King, but they all stopped and 
moved aside when they saw the old firefly 
coming up with his lantern gone out, and 
carrying me. 

<< < Why, what’s this, what’s this? ” asked 
the King in a surprised voice as the fly sank 
down, all out of breath, at the foot of the 
throne. 

“ ^ “ Oh, Your Majesty,” he gasped, as soon 
as he could get breath enough to speak, I 
was hunting for corn-flowers down in the big 
meadow, trying to find enough honey to 
finish my supper before it grew too dark, for 
you know I am growing old and my light 
was giving out.” 

u < u Yes, yes, I know,” replied the King 
kindly. We have all felt very sorry about 
it. And I am greatly shocked to see that it 
has now gone out altogether.” 

‘ Ah, but hear how that happened. Your 
Majesty. I was hunting about, very busy 
and never dreaming of the dreadful thing 


THISTLEDOWN 


147 

that was to happen, when this little creature’^ 
— he did not call me a vicious little vaga- 
bond to the King, but his voice sounded as if 
he would like to — “ stole up behind me and 
blew out my light ! ” 

“ ‘ Everybody exclaimed at this and crowded 
about the old firefly to tell him how sorry 
they were. I was sorry too, as sorry as I 
could be, for I had not known that the fire- 
fly^s light was dim because he was growing 
old. I had not meant any harm, but rather 
to help him. I tried to explain this to the 
fireflies but no one would listen when I 
talked about the gnomes and their forge fires. 
I thought the Queen was listening, for she 
kept looking at me ; but she did not sa}^ any- 
thing. 

‘ The King ordered me off to prison, and 
appointed the old fly, whose light I had 
blown out, to be my keeper. There were two 
other guards to the prison too, and it was 
horrid. My prison was a long, narrow crack 
in one of the brown rocks and I don’t know 
how long a time I spent there. It seemed 
like years. At the back, very cold and dark 
indeed, was my bed. The front looked down 


LETrr AND THE TWINS 

on the open space which, I learned, was 
called the throne glade, and one could see 
everything that went on. But the two 
keepers always sat one -on each side of the 
door, and the old fly in the middle so that I 
could not see out. If the King went or 
anything interesting happened, I would try 
to peep over their shoulders, but the guards 
scolded me so and made such unkind re- 
marks that I was ready to cry. 

“ ‘ It was a dreadful time. I was getting 
thinner, for I was not used to living in the 
dark and I did not like the things they gave 
me to eat. My wings were getting so weak 
from not being used that I began to be afraid 
they would never hold me up again. 

“ ‘ The only thing that was at all pleasant 
was a visit from the Queen. She was very 
kind and said that she had heard what I said 
about not meaning to injure the old fly, but 
that I must understand that almost as much 
harm and sorrow happened in the world 
through ‘'not meaning to’' as from real 
naughtiness. She said that it is always dan- 
gerous to meddle with things we don’t know 
about and most dangerous of all to meddle 


THISTLEDOWN 


149 

with fire. And I promised her that I would 
never do it again. 

' The keepers were a little more kind to 
me after the Queen’s visit and I tried to show 
the old firefly, whose lamp I had blown out, 
that I was sorry. I was hoping that the 
Queen would send some one to set me free, 
but she did not and it was very lonely. I 
began to be afraid I should have to stay in 
that gloomy prison all the rest of my life. 

^ Then, one day, a young firefly came 
bustling up to the prison in great excitement. 
The King and Queen had been invited to a 
big party given by the June beetles, and all 
the fireflies were asked to go along to help 
light up the party. The June beetle’s country 
was pretty far off and the fireflies would have 
to start early in the afternoon to reach it 
before dark. Every single one of them was 
to go except my old keeper, who was left to 
guard me. 

Of course I would not be wanted any- 
how,” I heard him say crossly. “ I’m of no 
use without my lantern.” 

^ I was very sorry that the poor old fly 
had to stay behind and miss the party, but I 


ISO LEITT AND THE TJVINS 

realized that my chance had come to escape. 
So, every day, while the three guards sat in 
the doorway, busy watching what went on 
below and talking about the party, I stayed 
in the dark corner beside my bed and exercised 
my wings by lifting myself up to the ceiling 
and down again on them, to bring back the 
strength. 

“ * At last the day of the party arrived and 
every single firefly had gone except my old 
keeper and me. We sat side by side in the 
doorway and watched the sun go down. I 
really think the old fly was as unhappy to 
have me sit in the doorway as he had been to 
miss the party. But he could not fill up the 
whole doorway by himself, although he 
crowded me a great deal, nor could he forbid 
me to stay there, so I sat and looked down at 
the throne glade and tried to see where the 
opening was that led back to the world. 

“ ‘ It always got dark early in this place 
and as soon as the sun had set, the old fly got 
up and said I must go to bed. I got up with- 
out saying anything and he turned around 
and started back toward my bed, thinking 
that I was following right behind. You 


THISTLEDOWN 


151 

remember that his light was out and he could 
not see. 

‘ But I did not lose a second of time. 
The instant his back was turned I spread my 
wings and flew down into the throne glade. 
My poor wings were so weak that I almost 
fell, but they soon got stronger as I skimmed 
through the fresh air. The old fly did not 
miss me at flrst, and I had time to get out 
through the narrow opening of the glade 
before he realized what had happened and 
started to follow me. 

‘ My wings grew stronger every minute, 
and I was oh, so happy to be free and on my 
way back to my own dear, sunshiny world 
again, that I did not feel a bit frightened when 
presently I heard the blind old fly coming 
after me. He was oh, so cross! He could 
not see me at all and could only tell where I 
was by the rustle of my wings. But although 
he was older than I he was stronger and could 
fly faster. I heard him coming closer and 
closer. What if I should be captured again I 
I should die, I knew I 

^ On I flew, faster and faster, and at last I 
found myself again in the fleld of high grasses 


iS2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

near the edge of which I had first seen the old 
fiy. The noises and darkness of the grasses 
had frightened me then, but now they seemed 
like home to me. I was too tired to fiy 
another inch, so I just dropped down, right 
into the middle of a clump of grasses. 

“ ‘ It was now much too dark to see anything 
and the grasses made such a rustle in the 
wind that the old firefiy did not miss the 
sound of my wings at first and had fiown quite 
some distance ahead before he realized that I 
was not in front of him any longer. Then, 
how angry he was ! He knew that I must be 
hiding somewhere near by, and he went bump- 
ing back and forth over the field, hitting his 
poor head against stalks and getting crosser 
every minute. He fiew quite close to me two 
or three times and I held my breath for fear 
he would pounce upon me. But after a long, 
long time he gave up hunting for me and fiew 
angrily away. 

“ ‘ And not any too soon, either, for the 
moon came out presently and shone so bright 
that he could have seen me down in the 
clump of grasses at once. I waited until I 
was quite sure that he was out of sight and 


THISTLEDOWN 


153 

would not come back, then I sprang up and 
flew home as fast as my poor weak wings 
would carry me. And you may be sure that 
I have kept out of the way of fireflies ever 
since,’ 

‘‘ Thistledown stopped talking, quite out of 
breath and tired with his long story. 

^ It was a very interesting story/ said the 
little girl, ‘ and I thank you very much for 
telling it to me. And I’ll remember, too, 
what the Queen of the Fireflies told you 
about not meddling,’ she added thoughtfully. 

“ Then the little girl stood up, still hold- 
ing Thistledown gently in her chubby hand. 

‘‘ ‘ I am going to do what you did to the 
firefly — only I hope it won’t hurt you,’ she 
said. ^ Get behind you and say pouf — like 
that,’ and puffing out her rosy cheeks, she sent 
Thistledown sailing merrily away through the 
warm, sunshiny air.” 

Letty ended her story with a little laugh. 

‘‘ I feel as out of breath as Thistledown did, 
when he had finished his adventure,” she 
laughed. 

“ Ho ! ” ejaculated Christopher, who had 
nearly burst in his effort to keep his promise 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

not to interrupt. He couldn’t have blown 
out the old firefly’s lamp. They’re not made 
that way. They’re a part of the firefly — the 
light they make, I mean. The person who 
wrote that story did not know very much 
about beetles and things.” 

The curtains parted in an up-stairs window 
and a smiling face looked down upon them. 

I know who wrote the story, Kit,” called 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. Can you guess ? ” she 
asked merrily. 

Letty looked up with her face all aglow, 
enlightened by Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s expres- 
sion. 

Oh, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones,” she exclaimed, 
you don’t mean to say that you wrote it I ” 

Yes,” laughed the lady gayly. I wrote 
it ever so many years ago. How wonder- 
fully you remembered it, my dear.” 

“ I loved it,” replied Letty simply. But 
I should never have believed it then if any one 
had told me that some day I should know the 
writer,” and she sighed happily. 

'' I’ll write another one some time — just for 
you and Janey,” promised Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones. '' And now wouldn’t you children 


THISTLEDOWN 155 

like to drive Punch and Judy into the village 
to carry some of my things to Mr. Parsons' 
house ? " 

The twins jumped up with a whoop. They 
were always delighted to go for a drive in the 
pony carriage. 


CHAPTER XI 


CHRISTOPHER GOES FOR THE MAIL 

When Mrs. Hartwell- Jones and Letty drove 
away from Sunnycrest in the pony carriage, 
amid a general waving of pocket handkerchiefs 
and shouts of farewell, everybody looked at 
everybody else rather blankly, as if something 
had happened and nobody was quite sure just 
what it was. 

“ Mrs. Hartwell- Jones said that we had done 
so much to brighten her life,” grandmother 
told grandfather, when they were talking it 
all over on the veranda that afternoon. “But 
it seems to be the other way on. It is she who 
has done us all good. We shall all miss her 
and Letty, each for different reasons. I en- 
joyed my talks with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and 
the children were perfectly happy with Letty.” 

“ We shall all of us miss Letty,” agreed 
grandfather. 

“ Yes, Jane is disconsolate and Huldah de- 
156 


THE MAIL 


157 

dares that her cake will never be so good 
again. 

It really was wonderful how quickly Letty 
had filled a place in the simple home life, and 
how happy she had been. No word or look 
had ever reminded her that she was a poor 
little outcast ; every one had welcomed her 
with loving kindness. 

“ Grandmother,” Jane had said one evening 
when she was saying her prayers, very soon 
after Letty ^s arrival, “ I think Letty must be 
^ our sister in heaven.^ You know the Bible 
says that everybody is brother and sister in 
heaven and that is what Letty must be to us.” 
And as such Jane had taken her into her lov- 
ing child's heart. 

Letty was sorry to leave Sunn3^crest ; it was 
so lovely, so quiet and peaceful. But she 
loved and admired Mrs. Hart well- Jones so ex- 
tremely that she would have been glad to go 
anywhere with her. There were lessons to be 
studied every day, to prepare for the glorious 
prospect of school in the autumn, and little 
drives to take about the countryside. Then it 
was understood, before Mrs. Hartwell- Jones 
left Sunnycrest, that the twins were to come 


158 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

into the village nearly every afternoon for a 
tea-party, and grandmother was to come with 
them as often as she could. 

And the very next day after Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones’s departure, Jane proposed a visit. 
Grandmother thought it too soon, but Jane 
and Christopher were urgent. 

“ I think we ought to go, to see if Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones got home all right and how 
her lame foot is,^’ remarked Jane in a grown-up 
tone. “ Don’t you think it would be polite, 
grandmother? ” 

“ And maybe she’ll have some jolly little 
apple turnovers, like she gave us once,” added 
Christopher. 

So grandmother gave her consent ; Joshua 
brought round the comfortable big carryall 
and grandmother and the twins got in, Jane 
carrying Sally, dressed in her best. Chris- 
topher got on the front seat with Joshua, to 
discuss the prospect of Jo Perkins being al- 
lowed enough time off to join the baseball nine. 
Christopher had counted on seeing Billy Car- 
penter in the village. Billy lived next door 
to Mr. Parsons, but he was nowhere to be seen, 
nor answered Christopher’s shrill whistle. 


THE MAIL 


159 

‘'I'm going on up to the post-office with 
Josh/’ said Christopher as his grandmother 
and Jane descended. " I’ll be back before you 
get started on the party.” 

" You will have to walk back, Kit,” replied 
his grandmother. " Joshua is going to have 
the horses shod.” 

" Oh, I don’t mind a little walk like that,” 
answered Christopher loftily. “ Besides, if 
Bill’s there he’ll probably give me a lift back 
on the step of his bicycle.” 

Christopher thought it likel}^ that Billy 
Carpenter was at the post-office helping his 
father with the letters, and that by going on 
there he would not only see his chum but 
would miss all the " how do you do’s ” and 
small talk at Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s, arriving 
in time for the real pleasure of the occasion — 
the tea-party. 

Jane stood still a moment at the gate and 
watched the carriage drive off a bit regretfully. 
She knew that Christopher wanted to see Billy 
Carpenter and she felt a little forlorn. 

" We won’t have the party until you get 
back. Kit,” she called after him. Then she 
turned to her grandmother, her lip quivering 


i6o LETTT AND THE TWINS 


a little. Do you suppose Kit likes that 
Carpenter boy better than me, grandmother ? 

“ Of course not, Janey, dear, but — boys will 
be boys, you know, and girls girls.’' 

But Kit didn’t use to care for boys.” 

“ Well, he’s getting older,” replied grand- 
mother vaguely. 

Mrs. Hartwell- Jones must have been expect- 
ing company, for little Anna Parsons ran out 
of the front door to meet them, and led them 
around the corner of the house, where a wide, 
shady expanse of velvety lawn invited rest. 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones sat in an easy chair placed 
on a rug, and other chairs were grouped near b}^ 
while the sight of a low, white-covered table 
would have done Christopher’s heart good, it 
was so loaded down with goodies. 

“ Where is Kit? ” was Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s 
first question, echoed by Letty. 

Grandmother explained that he had gone 
for the mail and would be back directly. 
Then she sat down beside Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
and discussed the question of boys in general 
and Kit in particular, while Letty told the 
story of Thistledown ” over again for Anna 
Parsons’ benefit, the children taking frequent 


THE MAIL 


i6i 


peeps at Mrs. Hartwell- Jones in the meantime 
and wondering how she could have thought it 
all out. After which she told parts of Prince 
Pietro/^ a story she and her little neighbor 
Emma Haines had been very fond of, and she 
wondered if Mrs. Hartwell-Jones had written 
that, too. 

In the meanwhile Christopher drove 
merrily on with Joshua to the post-office, at 
the other end of the village, his tongue wag- 
ging at its usual nimble rate. As they reached 
the post-office he gave a sudden shrill whistle 
that made Joshua put his hand over the ear 
nearest to Christopher^s mouth. 

“ For the land’s sake ! ” he exclaimed. Do 
you want to make me plumb deaf, boy ? ” 

An answering wffiistle, followed by a whoop, 
sounded from inside the building and Billy 
Carpenter darted out. 

Hi, Bill, bring the mail with you,” called 
Joshua. Here you, Kit, you go in and get 
it, and get Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s too. You 
might as well take hers to her, as you’re going 
right back there.” 

“ Not right back,” objected Christopher, 
scrambling down over the front wheel. 


i 62 LETTT AND THE TJVINS 


“ Yes, right back,'' repeated Joshua sternly, 
as the horses started to go on. “ Mind you go 
directly back to your grandma and the girls," 
he called over his shoulder, right into the 
listening ear of Billy Carpenter. 

“ Huh ! " jeered that youth, here comes the 
boy that's tied to a girl's apron-strings I 
Howdy, Miss Kitty." 

Christopher was ready to cry with mortifica- 
tion, but his pride held him steady. 

They're going to have a tea-party at the 
author-lady's, and they're waitin' for me," he 
announced grandly. You know in the city 
we fellows have to be polite to the ladies." 

“ We're polite to the ladies too," answered 
Billy sullenly. It always made him angry 
when Christopher made remarks which sug- 
gested that city ways were superior to those 
of the country. 

“ Oh, I dare say you are," admitted Chris- 
topher graciously, “ but it's different in the 
city, you know. Say, are you going home? 
Let's walk back together. Wait till I get the 
mail and I'll treat to sour balls." 

In addition to his light duties as post- 
master of the little village, Mr. Carpenter 


THE MAIL 


163 

sold knitting worsted and sweeties kept in 
glass jars. Christopher, with the manner of 
a millionaire, pulled the last five-cent piece of 
his week's “ 'lowance " out of his pocket, 
handed it over the counter and received in 
return ten large, semi-transparent yellow 
sugar balls, striped in red, and done up in a 
paper bag. 

Here's another of those pesky special de- 
livery letters for the author-lady at Mr. Par- 
sons', Bill," said Mr. Carpenter as he handed 
out a thick budget ; “ you'd better take it 
along with the others. Now run along, both 
of you, for I'm busy." 

“ The author-lady must be awful rich, by 
the way she spends money on postage 
stamps," observed Billy, as the boys strolled 
along the village street, each with one of the 
big red and yellow balls of sweet stuff tucked 
comfortably in his cheek. She buys dad 
out sometimes. And she gets stacks and 
stacks of letters. I wonder what they're all 
about ? " 

He surveyed the bundle he carried with a 
good deal of curiosity. 

Oh, people who write books always get 


i6^ LETTT AND THE TWINS 

lots of letters ; from magazine editors, asking 
for stories and all that sort of thing,” replied 
Christopher airily. And they pay big 
prices for stories, so of course Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones is rich. Say, Letty was telling us a 
story the other day — it was an awfully hot 
day and there wasn’t anything else to do so I 
lay on the grass and couldn’t help hearing 
what the girls were talking about — well, Letty 
told this story that she had read once years be- 
fore at school and what do you suppose ? Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones had written it. She hollered 
down to us about it out of her bedroom win- 
dow when Letty ’d got through. Funny, 
wasn’t it? And she said she’d write another 
story some time, just for the girls. They were 
immensely tickled.” 

“You have pretty good times, don’t you Vi 
said Billy enviously. “I guess you won’d 
care to play with us boys much.” > 

“ Oh, yes, I do,” exclaimed Christophejv' 
hastily. “ I’ve got a fine scheme that L- 
wanted to talk to you about to-day. Let’s 
you and Perk and me go off on a lark some 
time together. We’ll go into the woods. 
Grandmother’ll give us a lunch and we’ll 


THE MAIL 165 

build a fire to cook potatoes. Maybe we can 
catch some fish to fry.” 

“ Oh, say, that would be great 1 ” exclaimed 
Billy enthusiastically. Let^s go to-mor- 
row ! ” 

“ Well, I don't know about to-morrow. I 
was going to ask grandfather to let us have a 
horse and wagon, and we’ll have to wait till 
one can be spared from the farm work. But 
we’ll go soon.” 

“Can you swim?” asked Billy suddenly. 

“ No, not exactly,” confessed Christopher 
reluctantly. “ I had some lessons at a swim- 
ming school in town, but somehow I couldn’t 
seem to get just the hang of it by myself.” 

“ Oh, well, if you’ve got a start Perk an’ I’ll 
soon teach you,” Billy promised patroni- 
zingly. “ I know of a bully swimming hole, 
safe as anything.” 

“ I don’t know whether grandfather would 
let me go in swimming,” said Christopher 
slowly, feeling that the expedition was grow- 
ing more serious than he had intended. Yet 
he found it unbearable to have Billy think 
him lacking in any manly sport. “ But if it’s 
a perfectly safe place I guess he’ll say ” 


ib6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Oh, pshaw, what do you want to tell him 
for ? I guess your grandfather doesn’t want 
you to be a sissy-boy, does he ? ” 

‘‘ Of course not ! ” answered Christopher in- 
dignantly. 

“ Well, then, he must want you to learn to 
swim. If you should just go home some fine 
afternoon and say, 'Gran’pa, I know how to 
swim,’ why, he’d be as pleased as — as a pup.” 

“ But I do know how — almost — already,” 
boasted Christopher. 

They discussed the new plan with great 
gusto. Billy was for making a huge mystery 
out of it all, like the meeting of some secret 
society. He proposed smuggling a luncheon 
out of the Carpenter and Baker pantries and 
to keep the spot they were to visit a secret. 
But Christopher did not see the charm of this. 
He preferred to tell straight out that the three 
boys wished to go on a picnic. He knew that 
he would have a much better time if he had 
it out ” plainly with Jane, instead of slipping 
away from her, and that Huldah would 
certainly put up a much better lunch — if she 
were asked politely — than he and Billy could 
ever get together by stealth. The swimming 


THE MAIL 167 

was the only part of the programme he did 
not care to discuss openly. 

‘‘ Well, we’ll do it as soon as we can,” he 
concluded, as they reached Mr. Parsons’ gate. 
‘‘ I’ll send you word by Perk when he comes 
in for the mail, or mebbe you’d better ride out 
to the farm on your bike and we’ll talk it 
over.” 

All right,” replied Billy, lingering a 
moment as Christopher walked up the path. 

I can go any time. I don’t have to scheme 
to get away from the girls.” 

With which parting thrust he vaulted the 
fence into his own garden. He would have 
liked to be invited to the tea-party, too, but 
Christopher never dreamed of suggesting such 
a thing. He believed that Billy was laughing 
at him for joining the girls and his cheeks 
grew very red. He stopped and for a moment 
was tempted to turn back and sit on the fence 
with Bill, and talk of swimming, baseball and 
other manly topics until his grandmother was 
ready to go home. But just then he looked 
around — he had reached the corner of the 
house — and caught sight of the white-covered 
table, loaded with goodies. He went on. 


CHAPTER XII 


LETTY SINGS A LULLABY 

After the lemonade had all been drunk and 
most of the cakes eaten — for not even Christo- 
pher’s best efforts could quite empty the many 
plates — Letty offered to go back to her story- 
telling. She sat down on the grass with her 
back against a tree trunk and the twins curled 
themselves up contentedly on each side. 
Little Anna Parsons sat silent at her feet. 

“ Why are your stories always about people 
or fairies who sing beautifully ? ” asked 
Christopher unexpectedly, after Letty had 
related two or three tales of her own invention. 

Do you sing, Letty ? ” 

I should like to. Oh, how I should like 
to ! ” sighed Letty, clasping her hands. 

Sing something to us now,” commanded 
Jane. 

“ I only know one or two songs,” replied 
Letty shyly, and they are old songs. I think 
you children must know them already. I 
was never taught to sing,” she added quickly. 

168 


LETTT SINGS A LULLABT 169 

“ Neither were we, except in Sunday-school, 
but we'll sing for you, if you like," said 
Christopher politely. Sit up, Jane, and 
we’ll give her ^ Onward, Christian Soldiers.’ ’’ 
1 think Letty’d like ‘ There’s a Work for 
Me and a Work for You ’ better,’’ objected 
Jane. “ Her stories always have something 
about doing things in them.’’ 

“ Well, don’t the Christian Soldiers do 
things ? They conquer the world and all that 
sort of thing. I like that song because you 
can make such a jolly lot of noise over it. 
It’s a regular shouter.’’ 

“ Boys always like to make a noise,’’ said 
Jane to Letty with an apologetic air. But 
they are not the nicest kind of songs. I like 
lullabies and such things. Letty, don’t you 
know a lullaby ? I guess you used to have to 
sing them to Mrs. Drake’s baby, didn’t you? ’’ 

Tears filled Letty’s eyes at the memory 
Jane’s words called up, of the cuddley, drowsy 
baby she had hushed to sleep so often. 

“ Yes, I used to sing Mrs. Drake’s baby to 
sleep. Shall I sing you that song?’’ she 
asked. 

Once, on the memorable occasion of which 


ijo LETTT AND THE TWINS 

she had told Mrs. Hart well- Jones, Letty's 
brother had taken her to a concert. One of 
the songs was DeKoven's “ Winter Lullaby.'* 
The soft, crooning cadence of the song had 
thrilled Letty's heart and she had listened 
with rapture. The song had been repeated in 
response to an encore and so, by careful atten- 
tion, she had managed to memorize the words 
of the two verses. She sang it now to the 
children and as she began, grandmother and 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones suddenly ceased their talk 
and sat listening. 

A WIOTEE LULLABY 

^‘The valley is going to sleep, the birds in their nest 
are still 

And the maple branches bend and break, over the 
leafless hill : 

And the pitying sky looks down, and whispers to 
the snow, 

Let us cover the hills so bare and brown, where 
the flowers used to grow ; 

And she croons a lullaby, through the hush of the 
storm — 

Sleep, sleep in your cradle deep, sleep, sleep in 
your cradle deep 

And I will keep you warm, so sleep, sleep, sleep ! 

‘‘The valley is going to wake, the birds in their nest 
will sing 

And the maple branches bud and break, into the 
leaves of spring. 


LETTT SINGS A LULLABY 171 

And the gleaming vale shall hear another lullaby, 

And zephyrs will whisper it into her ear, out of 
the heart of the sky : 

Another lullaby, tuned to the heart of the 
stream, — 

Wake, wake for your robin’s sake, wake, wake 
for your robin’s sake ; 

And tell the sky your dream, so wake, wake, 
wake ! ” 

When she had finished grandmother ex- 
claimed in a low voice : 

Why, Mrs. Hartwell- Jones, how charming. 
What if you have discovered a genius 1” 

Tears came into Mrs. Hartwell- Jones's eyes. 

So it seems to you, too, that she has a 
good voice ? " she murmured eagerly. I 
have wondered, and am most impatient to 
take her to the city to have her voice tried. 
I have heard her singing to herself now and 
then and although I know nothing about voice 
culture, I thought one or two notes appeared 
to have an unusual quality. And, dear Mrs. 
Baker, I shall never forget that it was really 
Jane who discovered Letty for me ; her sweet 
kindliness for a ‘ little sister in heaven.' The 
child's coming has made a great difference in 
my life already." 

What is the song all about ? " demanded 


172 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Christopher of Letty, sitting upright in his 
curiosity. What was the dream ? 

“ I don’t know what the dream was, 
but ” 

Why don’t you know ? There must have 
been some sort of a dream, because the song 
says, ^ and tell the sky your dream.’ And 
who was talking, anyway ? ” 

“ Why, the sky was talking to the earth, I 
think.” 

And did the whole earth dream ? And 
why did the sky want the earth to wake up 
and tell its dream to the sky ? Why didn’t it 
say, ‘ and tell me your dream ’ ? And why in 
the world don’t they tell what the dream is ? 
I think it’s a silly song, anyhow.” 

“ Kit Baker, you are a rude boy I ” ex- 
claimed his sister indignantly. “ It isn’t a 
story, it’s a song. And songs don’t have to 
mean much, do they, Letty, as long as they are 
pretty.” 

Well, I think there ought to be another 
verse, telling the dream. Can’t you make up 
another verse as you go along, Letty ? Seems 
to me I just must know what that dream 


LETTT SINGS A LULLABT 173 

“ I guess there were lots and lots of dreams/^ 
said Jane musingly. All the flowers and 
birds dreamed. I could make up one dream ; 
that an ugly little flower dreamed it was a 
lovely pink tulip, all pale and wide-open and 
satiny.” 

“ Huh, I’d rather be a red one, with yellow 
streaks down the middle. They’re lots showier 
and they live longer, too. The gardener that 
was putting our bulbs out last fall told me so.” 

But they’re beastly ugly. People don’t 
dream about being something ugly, even if it 
is strong and healthy. I’d rather not live so 
long, if I could only be so beautiful that peo- 
ple just had to stop and look at me. Wouldn’t 
you, Letty ? ” 

I don’t think looks matter so much,” said 
Letty practically, “ if you keep your soul all 
nice and clean inside you. Then it shines 
out through your eyes and your smiles and 
makes you beautiful that way. Even crip- 
ples are beautiful if their souls are clean. My 
Sunday-school teacher, dear Miss Reese, told 
me that once. She was beautiful — very 
beautiful, and until then I had thought it was 
because she had nice white skin, pink cheeks, 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

dimples and a pretty silk dress. But after she 
told me that, I knew it was just her angel soul 
looking out through her eyes.’' 

“ What color were her eyes ? ” asked Chris- 
topher. “ And could cross-eyed people look 
beautiful ? I don’t see how the}^ could on the 
outside, even if their souls were ever so 
clean.” 

Grandmother and Mrs. Hart well- Jones, who 
could not help overhearing this conversation, 
smiled at each other. Just then Joshua drove 
up in the carriage and everybody knew that 
it was time to go home. 

“ I understand that Sally has a birthday 
day after to-morrow,” said Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones to Jane. 

“ Oh, yes, Mrs. Hartwell- Jones, she will be 
three years old,” replied Jane, with all the 
pride of a doting mamma. “ Uncle Gus gave 
her to me when I lost my first tooth. The 
fairies gave me a big silver dollar for the 
tooth, too. I wrapped it up in tissue-paper 
and put it under my pillow and they took it 
away in the night and left a shining silver 
dollar.” 

** The blessed fairies I Now suppose you let 


LEITT SINGS A LULLABT 175 

me give Sally a birthday party ? It would 
give Letty and me such pleasure to arrange it.” 

Jane glowed with delight and accepted in 
both Sally’s name and her own, with alacrity. 
Christopher pricked up his ears. A doll’s 
birthday party did not appeal to him, even 
with the inducement of the party.” Why 
would not that day be the very opportunity 
for his excursion with Billy and Jo Perkins ? 

“ Please let the children come early, Mrs. 
Baker,” Mrs. Hartwell-Jones said to grand- 
mother, so that we may have a long after- 
noon together. Or, if you wish, Letty could 
drive out after them in the pony carriage.” 

Oh, thank you, I can send them quite 
easily. There is always some one driving 
into the village. But are you sure that you 
want them again so soon ? You must not let 
them bother you.” 

Grandmother did not want the twins to 
become a nuisance to any one, although in 
her secret heart of grandmother-hearts, she 
did not see how any one could see too much 
of Jane or Christopher. 

Christopher said his good-bye very politely 
but very briefly. 


iy6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

“ Please, grandmother,’’ he said, will you 
wait for me a minute ? I’ve got to speak to Bill 
Carpenter aboutsome very important business.” 

He bolted around the corner of the house 
and Jane’s lip quivered. She felt suddenly 
offended. What important business could 
Christopher have that he had not confided to 
her? 

After their guests had gone, Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones drew Letty down to a low stool beside 
her chair and said : 

“ My dear, has any one ever told you that 
you sing very well ? ” 

Letty fiushed crimson with surprise and 
delight. 

“ Oh, do I ? ” she cried. I’d rather be 
able to sing than anything in this wide, wide 
world ! It is so wonderful ! But nobody 
ever told me I could sing. I have never had 
any lessons, you know.” 

“ And did you never sing to any of your 
teachers, in school or Sunday-school ? ” 

There was never any singing at school, 
except among a few of the bigger girls who 
took private lessons. And at Sunday-school 
I did not care for the singing much. They 


LETTT SINGS A LULLABT 177 

sang * regular shouters ^ as Kit calls them/’ 
she laughed. 

‘‘ But sometimes in church — the church I 
told you about, where the little boys sang — I 
used to join in a little, sometimes. Once they 
were singing such a beautiful hymn. It was 
in the afternoon when there were not very 
many people in the church and the music 
was so lovely, all high and sweet and soft ! I 
forgot for a minute where I was and sang out 
quite loud. The organist turned right around 
and looked at me. It frightened me terribly 
for I thought perhaps it was against the rules 
for any one but the small boys to sing and 
that some one might come and put me out. 
Indeed, I was afraid to go to church again for 
three or four Sundays, and when I did I always 
kept at the back of the church and did not 
sing again. But it could not have been 
against the rule, for a great many people joined 
in the singing and the organist did not look 
at them at all.” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones did not tell her, what 
was so evident to herself, that the organist had 
been attracted, not by the child’s loud singing, 
but by the quality of her voice. 


178 LETTT AND THE TtVINS 

“ Would you like to take singing lessons 
when we go back to town? ” she asked pres- 
ently. 

“ Oh, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, would it be 
possible ? 

“ Not only possible, but it could be done 
very easily, my child. We shall talk about 
it some other time. Now, I have some plans 
to suggest for Sally’s birthday party. We 
must invite Anna Parsons and there must be 
a cake.” 

With candles,” agreed Letty, bringing her 
mind away from the singing with difficulty. 

“ I should like to make Sally a present, 
too,” went on Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. Do you 
suppose we could buy a toy bed at the ‘ store ’ ? 
It would be nice to make a pretty bed for 
Sally to rest in when she comes to spend the 
afternoon.” 

And I could make the bedclothes. I love 
to sew,” cried Letty. My mother taught 
me ; hemming, overcasting — a great many 
things.” 

“You must have had a very good, sweet 
mother, Letty.” 

“ Oh, yes I ” breathed the girl, and her 


LETTT SINGS A LULLABT 179 

brown eyes filled suddenly with great 
tears. 

The tears came to Mrs. Hartwell- Jones’s 
eyes, too, and she caught Letty to her arms in 
a long, close embrace. 

“ You have no mother and I have no little 
girl ! ” she whispered brokenly. 

That evening Mrs. Hartwell-Jones wrote a 
very long letter to the lawyer in the city who 
had always managed her business for her. 
She glanced often at Letty as she wrote, but 
the little girl, busy over a puzzling problem 
in arithmetic, did not even dream of the 
wonderful ways in which that letter would 
change her life. 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE tulip’s dream 

Christopher’s request that Jo Perkins 
might have the use of a horse and wagon for 
the afternoon to take him and Billy Carpenter 
on a picnic was granted with some hesitation. 

“ Jane is going to the author-lady’s to have 
a silly party for her old doll and I don’t want 
to go,” he said. “Perk’ll look out for Bill 
and me all right. You’ve often let me go 
fishing with Perk, grandfather.” 

“Yes, but then there was no other boy along 
to suggest mischief.” 

Christopher looked a wee bit guilty, re- 
membering the swimming project. 

“ We aren’t going to get into mischief,” he 
exclaimed hastily. “ It’s just to be a picnic 
and do the things boys do ; roast potatoes in a 
fire and — and all sorts of things.” 

“ Very well, then,” replied grandfather a 
little absent-mindedly. “ Only remember 
that we’ve got to hand you and Janey over, 
180 


THE rULIP^S DREAM i8i 


whole and sound, to your father and mother 
in less than a month/' 

Mr. Baker gave his permission with a little 
less consideration than he usually gave to the 
twins' requests, perhaps because his mind was 
busy with his own affairs. One of the letters 
which Christopher had brought from the post- 
office had been from the city about some busi- 
ness which grandfather was afraid he would 
have to go into town to attend to himself. 

I can't bear to think of your tramping 
about those hot city pavements in this August 
weather," exclaimed grandmother in distress, 
when he told her about it. “ Can't you pos- 
sibly arrange it by letter? " 

“ No, I must see two or three men personally. 
If Kit were home " (he meant his own son, 
Christopher's father), “ he could attend to it 
for me, but as it is, I can't see anything for it 
but to go myself. I shall start to-morrow and 
get back in three days." 

Christopher was secretly glad that his 
grandfather was going away for a few days. 
When he returned and was told that Christo- 
pher had learned how to swim, he would be 
very glad, the boy felt sure. 


i%2 LETTT AND THE TUVINS 


Grandmother felt quite dismayed when she 
was told that the three boys were to go off on a 
picnic. It seemed like a very great responsi- 
bility for her to bear by herself ; but as there 
was no real reason why she should ask Chris- 
topher to put off his excursion she said noth- 
ing about it. 

The day of the party arrived and Jane was 
so impatient to start that she would have gone 
without even finishing her dessert if grand- 
mother had permitted. 

“ But Mrs. Hartwell-Jones said to come 
early. Oh, dear ! ” she groaned as Christopher 
passed his plate for a second helping. If 
you’re going to sit there and stuff all day, Kit 
Baker, we might as well not go at all. You 
won’t have any room in your tummy for your 
picnic, and Huldah has packed an awful big 
one.” 

It had been arranged that Joshua was to 
drive the twins into the village. He had 
left a horse in the blacksmith’s stable 
overnight, while a certain special shoe was 
made, and he intended to ride it home. 
Jo Perkins had not quite finished his work 
at the stable, so he was to follow on his 


THE TULIP^S DREAM 183 

bicycle and join the others at Billy Carpenter’s 
house. 

Now, remember, Kit, you are to go back to 
Mrs. Hartwell- Jones’s to get Janey, and be 
sure to be there promptly at half-past five ; 
not a minute later,” exclaimed grandmother 
for about the twentieth time ; and she pro- 
ceeded to give the same instructions and many 
more to Jo Perkins. 

Joshua had harnessed the most reliable old 
horse in his stable to the wagon that was to 
be entrusted to Jo Perkins’s care for a whole 
afternoon — a horse that had never been known 
to look twice at any object and which would 
have been perfectly content to sleep through 
the day as well as the night. He lumbered over 
the country road at an easy trot, and when they 
were only half-way to the village Christopher 
looked over his shoulder and spied Jo Perkins 
speedily overtaking them on his bicycle. 

** Oh, I say, Josh, make him go, Perk’s 
coming. Don’t let him catch up,” and he 
squirmed on his seat with excitement. 

Joshua good-naturedly urged the horse into 
a swifter trot, then into a clumsy gallop as Jo 
Perkins bore down upon them over the level 


iS4 LETTT AND THE TfFINS 

road. Jane clasped Sally tight to her breast 
with one hand while she hung on with the 
other. The road was still level and Perk was 
gaining steadily. He was bent double over 
the handle bars, pedalling frantically. Soon a 
long, gently sloping hill gave the horse the 
advantage, for he kept up his easy gallop, while 
Perk dropped far behind, laboring hard. 
Christopher sent a derisive yell after him, but 
he rejoiced too soon. Jane had more foresight. 
She remembered the down slope on the other 
side of the ridge. 

Perk's going to beat,” she declared 
calmly, ’cause Josh won’t let the horse trot 
down-hill.” 

Oh, Josh, do, just this once,” urged Chris- 
topher, almost falling off the seat in his excite- 
ment. “It won’t hurt his old knees just for 
once.” 

But Joshua was firm. 

“I’m not going to abuse your gran’pa’s 
horses,” he said severely, permitting the horse 
to slacken his pace to a walk. “ An’ what’s 
more, you’ve got to promise me, honest Injun, 
that you an’ Perk won’t let him trot down 
any hills, nor run races.” 


THE TULIP^S DREAM 185 

“ We aren’t going down any hills,” an- 
swered Christopher sulkily. 

He looked over his shoulder again and saw 
Perk appear at the top of the hill, red-faced 
and panting. With a hoot of triumph, the 
boy cocked his knees over the handle bars and 
whirled down the hill, letting the pedals take 
care of themselves. 

Yah I ” wailed Christopher, ‘‘ he’s coast- 
ing ! He’ll pass us like greased lightning.” 
And as he spoke. Perk flashed by them, an 
exultant grin on his face. 

Ah, you think you’re smart ! ” jeered 
Christopher in a vexed tone. 

But pride always has a fall. As Perk 
reached the bottom of the hill he glanced back 
to see how much of a gain he had made, and 
the wheel of his bicycle struck a large stone 
in the road. Over toppled Perk on his head, 
tumbling into a heap by the roadside. Jane 
screamed and even Joshua was startled. He 
urged the horse into a trot again. 

Oh, Perk’s not hurt ! ” declared Christo- 
pher scornfully. A fellow can stand lots 
worse croppers than that.” 

And Perk was not hurt. By the time they 


i%6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


reached him he had scrambled to his feet and 
was examining his bicycle to see if any harm 
had come to it. But he rode quietly behind 
the wagon all the rest of the way into the 
village. 

Billy Carpenter was standing in front of 
his gate, watching for them, and the impatient 
Christopher could hardly wait while Perk 
stowed his bicycle in Mr. Carpenter’s barn 
and Joshua escorted Jane to Mrs. Parsons’ 
front door. 

'' You’re in an awful hurry to have me go,” 
Jane exclaimed to Christopher, a bit jealously. 

For a moment she forgot Sally’s birthday 
party, and wished she was going on the picnic 
too. It hurt to think that perhaps Chris- 
topher did not want her — was glad she was 
not going. He really acted as if he were I 

But her disappointment soon vanished — 
vanished the moment she set foot in Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones’s sitting-room. The party 
planned was so perfect I In the first place, 
there was the present for Sally — a dainty little 
bed in which to take her rest when visiting 
the lady who wrote books. Mr. Carpenter had 
found the small wooden bedstead stowed away 


THE TULIP'S DREAM 187 

in a loft over the post-office, left over from a 
stock of Christmas toys. Letty, with deft fin- 
gers, had painted the dingy, dust-grimed wood 
white with tiny pink rosebuds (difficult to rec- 
ognize, perhaps, as rosebuds, but very pretty) 
and had made, with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’shelp, 
a dainty white canopy, tied back with pink 
ribbons. There were sheets and pillow-cases 
and even a little kimono made of a scrap of 
white cashmere and edged with pink rib- 
bon. 

Where is Christopher ? exclaimed Mrs. 
Hart well- Jones as Jane mounted the stairs 
alone. I had a surprise for you all.” 

“ Kit has gone on a picnic with the boys. 
He didn’t want to come to Sally’s birthday,” 
replied Jane with a catch in her voice. 

Never mind, dear. Boys seem to like to 
get off by themselves now and then, don’t 
they, dear ? We’ll have a little dove party. 
But I have answered a question of Kit’s, how- 
ever, which now he will miss hearing,” she 
added, glancing at a pile of closely written 
pages on her writing desk. 

Oh ! ” exclaimed Jane, looking from Mrs. 
Hart well- Jones to Letty, her cheeks growing 


i88 LETTr AND THE TWINS 


crimson. YouVe written the story you 
promised — just for us ! 

“ Yes,” laughed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, ‘'just 
for you. I got my idea from Letty’s song 
and Christopher’s questions about it. Shall 
I read it now, while we are waiting until it is 
time for the party ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, please ! And I can be putting 
Sally to bed.” 

Letty, who had been in a flutter of excite- 
ment all day as she watched those pages of 
story growing, flew over to the table for the 
manuscript, and bustled about, making Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones more comfortable and arrang- 
ing the light. 

“ Oh, perhaps Anna might like to hear the 
story, too ! Might she come? ” she asked im- 
pulsively. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones said yes, graciously, 
feeling secretly proud of Letty’s thoughtful- 
ness. 

“ Now,” she said, when shy little Anna 
Parsons had been brought up-stairs and 
everything was ready, “ we must have 
Letty’s song first, as a sort of introduction.” 

So Letty sang the “Winter Lullaby ” again. 


THE TULIP^S DREAM 189 

sweetly, simply, without any thought of her- 
self or how she was doing it, but evidently 
enjoying the soft, plaintive melody. When 
she had finished Mrs. Hartwell-Jones took up 
her paper and read : 

“The Tulip’s Dream 

“ Once upon a time a little tulip lived in a 
lovely big garden. It was the middle blossom 
of the front row of a bed of beautiful, pale 
yellow tulips, whose petals shone like the 
softest velvet. But alas for this poor little 
front tulip ! It had broad red streaks run- 
ning down the middle of each of its petals, 
making them seem bold and fiaunting and 
common. And none of the other tulips in 
the bed would speak to it ; they had not even 
a word of sympathy to offer. 

“ The lady who owned the garden had taken 
great pains to have this particular tulip bed 
planted with just the shade of fiowers that 
she wanted, and it was such a disappointment 
to have had the very front blossom of all turn 
out to be so different and ordinary. She used 
to visit the garden every day with her little 


i()o LETTT AND THE TUVINS 

daughter. Standing in front of the bed they 
would discuss the ugly little tulip. 

‘ I have half a mind to pluck the flower/ 
she said one day. ^ It looks so horrid that 
it quite spoils the effect of the bed. But all 
the other blossoms are out and if I took this 
one away it would leave such a gap.^ 

‘ The flower can’t help having red streaks 
in it, mother/ replied the little girl. ‘ P’rhaps 
it feels bad at being different from all the 
rest ! But it is ugly/ she added. 

The poor little tulip drooped its head and 
pined. It is very,- very hard to be thought 
ugly and different ; and harder still not to be 
wanted. So the tulip drooped and faded and 
dropped its petals long before any of the other 
flowers in the bed. 

“ And when the lady found the red and 
yellow petals lying on the ground she ex- 
claimed : — ‘ Why, how odd that this tulip 
should have died first. I always thought 
that those common, hardy varieties lasted 
longest ! ’ 

“ Her little girl picked up one of the scat- 
tered petals and stroked it. 

‘ See, mother, it is really very pretty,’ she 


THE TULIP^S DREAM 191 

said. ‘ I wonder if the flower was not nicer 
than we thought after all ? ’ 

“Although the lady had spoken of the 
tulip as dead, because the blossom was gone, 
of course we all know that it was not dead. 
But that down, down in its brown little root, 
or bulb, under the warm, moist earth, its life 
was throbbing as strong as ever. The tulip 
heard the little girl’s words, therefore, and 
was somewhat comforted by them. But it 
still mourned over the red streaks down the 
middle of its petals, for it was quite sure 
that it had not meant to be that way, but soft, 
pale yellow like all the other tulips in the bed. 

“ ' You ought not to take it so to heart,’ 
whispered a gentle shower to the falling 
petals, and it bathed them in soft, warm’ 
drops. ‘ Your petals are red because the sun 
has kissed them.’ 

“ But the tulip would not be comforted. 
It shed its satiny petals and crept down inside 
its bulb-nest to sleep away its sorrow and 
disappointment. 

“ After a time the tulip bulbs were dug up 
by the gardener and carried away to the 
cellar to make room for other flowers that 


i()2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

would bloom during the summer. In the 
autumn they were brought out and planted 
in their bed again, and as it happened, the 
little red and yellow tulip was put exactly 
where it had been before. The warm, dark 
earth snuggled it close to her fragrant bosom 
and whispered : ‘ Sleep well, little tulip, and 
dream that you are the most beautiful, pale 
yellow tulip in the world.’ 

“ So the little tulip fell asleep and lo, at the 
first call of the spring robin it waked, feeling 
very, very happy. 

“ ‘ Go, tell the sky your dream,’ whispered 
Mother-Earth, and pushed the bulb upward. 
The tulip shot up a delicate, whity-green 
stalk through the dark clods, — up, up, until 
it saw the great, deep-blue sky far above it. 
The air was sweet and warm and a few early 
birds were singing. Becoming more and 
more happy and excited, the little tulip 
pushed upward and spread its petals to the 
smiling sky. And lo, they were of the 
loveliest pale yellow, and shone like the 
softest velvet I ” 

Mrs. Hartwell- Jones had ceased her reading 


THE TULIP'S DREAM 193 

for quite a full minute before the children 
realized that the story was ended. 

“ Oh ! sighed Jane. “ I am so glad that 
the tulip was happy at last ! ” 

“ But what do you suppose made the petals 
turn ? ” asked Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 

Blossoms do change colors, different years. 
I’ve seen ’em in our own garden,” said Anna 
Parsons practically. 

“ Oh, it was because the tulip wanted it so 
much I ” exclaimed Letty. 

“Yes, it was because the tulip wanted it ; 
but there are different kinds of wants, Letty, 
dear. Some people want things selfishly, 
just because the things would give them 
pleasure. But the little tulip felt that it had 
disappointed some one by being the color it 
was — and so felt that it was not doing 
its real duty in the world. So, by wishing 
and hoping and waiting patiently, it got 
what it wanted. If it had been a per- 
son instead of a flower, of course just 
hoping and waiting would not have been 
enough. There would have been work to do, 
as well. 

“ But if whatever we want is right, and of 


i()4, LETTT AND THE TWINS 

some benefit to the rest of the world, we are 
pretty sure to get it in the endT 

“ Oh, do you think so ? ’’ cried Letty 
eagerly ; looking as if she had some particular 
thing in her mind. 

Mrs. Hart well- Jones smiled and patted her 
hand. 

“ Yes, I really think so, dear child. But 
it is time for the tea-party now,^^ she said. 


CHAPTER XIV 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER? 

After the tea-party was over, Jane dressed 
Sally again and she and Anna Parsons took 
their dolls for a walk down into the garden, 
while Letty carried the plates down-stairs to 
be washed, and made the room tidy again. 

‘‘ What is it that you would like so much 
to do, Letty, dear?’’ asked Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones presently. “ There is something on 
your mind, I know.” 

Oh, there is, dear Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 
If only I could learn to sing 1 Sing right, 
you know. It would be wonderful ! ” And 
Letty clasped her hands eagerly. 

Well, my dear, it will all depend on your- 
self.” 

How do you mean ? ” asked the girl 
breathlessly. 

“ I mean that when we go back to the city 
I am going to have your voice tried. That 
195 


i()6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

is, I am going to have you sing before a 
certain good teacher of singing and if he 
thinks it worth while to give you lessons, 
you shall study with him. He is a wonderful 
master, and will take only pupils who have 
really good voices.’’ 

“ Oh ! ” cried Letty, the sound being more 
a sigh than an exclamation. She was really 
breathless with joy at the thought of what 
happiness might be in store for her. 

“ But suppose he shouldn’t be willing to 
give me lessons ! ” she cried in sudden dis- 
may, her voice coming back with a little 
gasp. 

“ That remains to be seen,” replied Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones with a serene little smile that 
did not look as if she were very much 
worried. 

Then they went back to the subject that 
always proved so deeply interesting to them 
both ; the subject of Betty’s studies in the 
fall, and so intent did they become that they 
forgot all about the time until Jane rushed 
suddenly into the room, crying : 

“Where is Kit? It’s much after half-past 
five, Letty. Oh, where is he I ” 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER? 197 

Letty sprang to her feet and Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones looked anxiously out of the window at 
the lengthening shadows. 

ril look and see if he’s coming down the 
road,” said Letty, and ran quickly out of the 
room, followed by Jane. 

Letty looked up and down the road, strain- 
ing her eyes, but no horse and wagon was to 
be seen. Jane climbed on the gate and swung 
on it gloomily, back and forth. 

Do you suppose the horse has run away 
with them ? ” she asked with a catch in her 
voice. “ I spoke crossly to Kit when he went 
away. I hope he isn’t — isn’t killed I ” And 
she began to cry. 

Mrs. Carpenter came out of her house next 
door and called to Letty across the fence : 

Are you looking for those boys ? Most 
likely they won’t get home before dark. 
Boys never know what time it is.” 

“ Kit’s got a watch,” wailed Jane, still 
swinging disconsolately on the gate. 

“ Don’t you worry, little girl. Watches 
don’t mean anything to boys when they’re 
off on a picnic. Nothing has happened with 
Jo Perkins to take care of them. When I get 


LETir AND THE TWINS 

my Billy home I shall spank him and put 
him to bed without any supper.’' 

Jane’s tears flowed faster than ever at the 
thought that a like punishment might be in 
store for Christopher. Sadness can come so 
very quickly on the heels of joy ! She had 
been perfectly happy only a short half hour 
ago. 

Janey, dear,” called Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
from her up-stairs window, Letty would 
better drive you home in the pony carriage, and 
then, if your grandmother thinks best, she 
can send Joshua out to hunt up the boys. 
Come up to me, little girl, and get comforted 
while Letty harnesses Punch and Judy.” 

In the meantime, where was Christopher? 

The three boys were in the highest of spirits 
as they drove off into the woods. The swim- 
ming hole that Billy Carpenter had in mind 
was situated farther up the stream than Chris- 
topher had ever been. It was very, very 
pretty. Pine trees grew close to the water’s 
edge, and the needles that had dropped into 
the pool made the water clear and brown and 
gave it a delicious, spicy smell. 

Perk unharnessed the horse and tied him 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER? 199 

by the reins to a neighboring tree. Then the 
boys undressed and Christopher, with mingled 
feelings, stepped into the water. He under- 
stood all the principles of swimming ; it was 
only confidence he lacked, and the desire to 
appear well in the eyes of his companions 
gave him courage. The pool was shallow, 
nowhere was the water over the boys’ heads ; 
it was in reality as safe as a bath tub. In 
a very short time Christopher was paddling 
about in great glee, keeping his head nicely 
above water. 

It was a grand frolic and after dressing 
again, they were all very ready for Huldah’s 
nicely packed luncheon. Christopher insisted 
upon building a fire in a hole to roast the 
potatoes, in true camping out fashion. The 
potatoes were somewhat lumpy when done, 
and burned the mouth. Still, they were 
quite eatable with plenty of salt and but- 
ter. 

It was nearly four o’clock when the picnic 
lunch was finished. But the August after- 
noon was close and sultry. The boys had got 
hot and grimy over the potatoes. They lay 
about on the ground, throwing pine-cones at 


200 LETTr AND THE TWINS 


a family of chattering squirrels and trying to 
feel cool. 

Christopher looked at the still clear brown 
pool and sat up exclaiming : 

“ Say, fellows, let’s go in for another dip. 
Just enough to cool us off.” 

“ No, you mustn’t. It is bad to go into the 
water right after eatin’,” said Perk. 

Oh, what are you givin’ us ? ” chaffed 
Billy Carpenter, who had begun to undress 
at Christopher’s first word. I have been in 
hundreds of times, right after a big dinner.” 

“ Besides, we’ve been through eating a long 
time,” added Christopher. “ ’Most ten min- 
utes, I guess.” 

“ But you oughtn’t. Kit. What will your 
grandfather say ? ” 

‘‘ Grandfather ’ll be glad I know how to 
swim.” 

Are you quite sure you know how ? ” 
insinuated Billy. He thought he saw signs 
of weakening in Christopher’s resolution and 
did not want to lose any fun. 

“ Of course I’m sure,” retorted Christopher 
indignantly. '‘Just you hold on and I’ll 
show you I ” 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER? 201 


“ Well, if you boys are set on doin' it, I 
guess ril have to go in too, to keep you out 
of mischief," drawled Jo Perkins, untying his 
cravat as he spoke. His remonstrances had 
not been very strong, but they had satisfied 
his conscience. 

The second bath proved to be even more 
fun than the first. The water was delight- 
fully cool and refreshing ; Christopher soon 
lost the last bit of dread he had had of going 
under. He and Billy began to swim a race 
across the pond and back. They had crossed, 
had splashed into the shallow water to touch 
a certain pine branch that had been chosen 
as the half-way mark (like the first stake in 
croquet) and were starting back. 

Billy was in the lead, but Christopher was 
gaining on him, when all at once he felt a 
queer sensation in his arm, as if some one had 
struck him a sudden blow. The pain was 
intense and increased every moment. Chris- 
topher doubled up his elbow involuntarily 
and stopped moving his other arm, forgetting 
in his sudden discomfort that he was not on 
solid ground. Naturally, he went under. 
His mouth being open at the time, he 


202 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


swallowed quantities of water and did not 
find it pleasant. He gasped and spluttered 
and tried to call for help, but the water filled 
his mouth and nose and eyes. He could not 
breathe, much less speak. And all the while 
the pain in his arm increased. His struggles 
pushed him upward again and as his head 
appeared above the water he gave a wailing 
cry. If he had had presence of mind enough 
to stand upright on the sandy bottom, his 
head would have been almost entirely out of 
water. But he was in great pain and very 
badly frightened. Was he drowning, he 
wondered? And if so, would everybody be 
sorry? Would grandfather blame him for 
having gone to the swimming hole without 
permission ? He hoped he would not be held 
up to other boys as a sad example of disobe- 
dience. Where in the world were Billy and 
Perk and why did they not come to his 
assistance ? Oh ! Oh ! Another effort to 
shout and another nasty dose of water. 

Drowning people were supposed to review 
their whole past life, he remembered. He 
could think of nothing except that he had 
learned in school that Socrates had met his 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER? 203 

death by being compelled to drink hemlock. 
There was hemlock enough in this water to 
kill a horse, Christopher felt sure. If he 
escaped from drowning, therefore, he was 
sure to be poisoned. It was certain death how- 
ever you looked at it, and he gave up strug- 
gling. The pain in his arm made him feel 
weak and numb. 

Just then he was grabbed by rough but 
friendly hands, his head propped above water 
and his body propelled speedily to shore. It 
had been a very few seconds from the time 
Perk had seen him go under and had swum 
out and seized him by the hair. So short had 
the time been, indeed, that Billy Carpenter 
did not know that anything had gone amiss 
until he reached the goal of the race and 
turned to jeer his victory. Then he saw Perk 
wading swiftly through the shallow water, 
half carrying, half pushing Christopher before 
him. The boy was almost unconscious when 
they got him to shore, and he lay in a heap 
on the pine-needles, his cramped arm bent 
pitifully beneath his body. Perk threw a 
coat about him and went to work in a busi- 
nesslike, capable way to revive the boy. 


zo^ LETTY AND THE TWINS 

“ He’s swallowed an awful lot of water, and 
it has made him sick,” Perk explained to 
Billy. It’s that right arm that’s cramped. 
Haul it out straight, Bill, and pound it. 
Never mind if he hollers ; it’ll help bring 
him to. Keep poundin’ and don’t let him 
double it up again. We’ve got to get the 
muscles limbered up.” 

It took half an hour’s hard work to restore 
Christopher to anything like his usual cheer- 
ful self. Then they all realized with a pang 
how late it was. The sun was so near setting 
that it had already darkened the woods. In 
a panic of alarm the boys harnessed the horse 
and drove as rapidly as they dared in the 
growing dusk, down the winding wood road. 

There is no use in going into the town,” 
said Jo Perkins as they emerged from the 
gloom of the trees into the lighter twilight 
of the open road. Jane will have got home 
somehow before this. Betty’s taken her 
home, most likely. I shouldn’t be surprised 
if they had searching parties out for us,” he 
added, eyeing the reddening western sky. 

Oh, shucks,” boasted Christopher, “ I 
guess they know we can take care of our- 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER? 205 

selves.” But his voice had not quite so con- 
fident a ring as usual. Besides, Perk, 
there’s no other way to get home except by 
going through town.” 

“ We can go along Birch Lane to the cross- 
roads. It is only half as far that way.” 

Both boys whistled under their breath. 
Birch Lane was a lonely road by night ! 

‘'But how about me?” asked Billy. “I 
guess I’ve got to get home.” 

“ Yes,” chimed in Christopher, “ it wouldn’t 
be polite not to take Bill home. He’s our 
company.” 

“ Besides, Perk, there’s your bicycle that 
you left at our house.” 

“ We can drop Bill at the turn. It’s only 
two miles from there home, and I guess that’s 
nothing of a walk for you, is it. Bill ? I’ll 
come in after the bicycle in the morning.” 

“ I don’t think it’s treating Bill right, to 
dump him like that,” argued Christopher. 
If he did not relish the drive along Birch Lane 
in Perk’s companionship, Birch Lane with its 
ghostly, whispering white sentinels, the silver 
birch trees, how much less must Bill look 
forward to walking by himself along the de- 


2o6 LETTT and the TWINS 


serted wood road? Christopher was sincerely 
sympathetic. “ Besides/^ he added, “ I feel 
pretty sure that Jane will be waiting for us, 
Perk. I told her Pd come for her, and she 
knows that I always keep my word.” 

“ Oh, pshaw ! She knew long before this 
that you weren’t coming for her, leastways, 
not at the time you said. And I guess your 
grandma’s pretty nigh crazy by this time. 
No, we’ve got to get home as soon as ever we 
can and take our thrashings. Bill ain’t 
afraid to walk, and here’s the turn. Hop out, 
Bill.” 

“ Who’s afraid ? ” demanded Billy, in a 
boastful voice, jumping out over the wheel 
with affected alacrity. And it’s only girl- 
boys that get thrashed for staying out late. 
I’ve been out lots later than this. My, Jo 
Perkins, if I was as old as you I guess I 
wouldn’t let anybody thrash me ! Not much. 
Not for anything like that ! ” 

With which parting taunt, Billy trotted off, 
whistling to keep up his spirits. 

Christopher sat rather close to Jo Perkins 
and stared stolidly ahead. As each birch tree 
came in sight he eyed it roundly, even watch- 


WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER 207 

ing it over his shoulder in passing, as if to 
stare it out of countenance. Then he took to 
counting them off as they went by ; it helped 
to keep his thoughts from the present home- 
coming and grandmother’s face. It was grow- 
ing darker and darker. 

I hope she won’t cry,” he said suddenly. 
“ Women are such babies. I’d rather she’d 
thrash me than cry.” 

I guess you won’t get the thrashing until 
your grandpa gets home,” Perk answered 
grimly. “ But I tell you. Kit, this is a pretty 
bad scrape for me. I was put in charge of 
you two young ones, and I didn’t do right to 
keep you out so late. I ought to have watched 
the time a bit closer. And I almost let you 
drown, too,” he added soberly. “ Gee whizz, 
I guess mebbe it ’ll cost me my place ! I’m 
powerful sorry about it all.” 

“ Oh, Perk, did I really nearly drown ? ” 
asked Christopher in awe. 

He shuddered as the recollection of his 
recent experience came over him. 


CHAPTER XV 


letty's future 

When Letty and Jane reached Sunnycrest 
they found grandmother climbing into the 
carriage to drive to Hammersmith, fully con- 
vinced that the worst had happened. Gather- 
ing Jane, silent and frightened, into her arms, 
grandmother felt half comforted. But a cold 
dread still clutched at her heart. Where was 
Christopher ? 

Oh, why did we let him go off like that ! ” 
she cried. And your grandfather away. I 
did think Jo Perkins was to be trusted. What 
can have happened ? Joshua, you must go in 
search of them. Oh, Janey, Janey, if only 
your grandfather were here ! and she burst 
into tears. 

Janets heart grew big and tight with all 
kinds of alarms. It was so very unusual for 
grandmother to be upset. She was generally 
calm in the face of any calamity, however 
208 


LETTT^S FUTURE 


209 

great. Why, even that time when the whole 
kettleful of raspberry jam fell off the kitchen 
range and splashed on the cat, grandmother 
had only said : — “ Mercy me, it’s lucky the 
kittens weren’t there, too.” 

Oh, Mrs. Baker,” exclaimed Letty in dis- 
tress, I don’t believe anything serious has 
happened. Mrs. Carpenter said she thought 
that they had just forgotten about the time; 
she said boys never could keep track of the 
time when they were off on a picnic ; and 
she did not seem at all worried about Billy.” 

‘‘ She was just cross,” added Jane. “ She 
said she was going to spank him when he did 
get home. Shall you spank Kit, grand- 
mother? ” 

“ Bless the boy, he will have to be punished 
some way,” replied Mrs. Baker, drying her tears. 

If only he comes home safe and sound,” she 
added mournfully, watching the carriage dis- 
appear down the road into the dusk. “ Letty 
dear, don’t you think you would better start 
back home? There is enough worry on hand 
without giving Mrs. Hartwell-Jones a fright 
about you.” 

“ I don’t believe she will worry, Mrs. 


210 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Baker. She said I might stay as long as I 
could be of any use here and I should like to 
wait until Kit gets back,” answered Letty 
earnestly. ‘‘ Is there anything I can do? ” 

“ Just talk a bit, you and Jane,” said 
grandmother, “ if you think it all right to 
remain. It will keep my mind off imagining 
all sorts of horrors about that blessed boy. 
How did the party go off, Janey, dear ? I 
haven’t asked a single word about it.” 

Jane was in the middle of an elaborate ac- 
count of the party when they were inter- 
rupted by the sound of wheels. Grand- 
mother had been sitting on the veranda steps 
with Jane in her lap and Letty on another 
step close beside them. 

“ Can Joshua be coming back for some- 
thing ? ” exclaimed grandmother, rising. 

Jane had already climbed out of her lap 
and was running down the drive. 

It’s Kit, it’s Kit ! ” she cried joyfully. 

Grandmother kissed Christopher first, and 
cried over him. Then she took him aside 
and gave him a long, serious lecture. Chris- 
topher knew that he had been disobedient, 
but he did not realize that he had also been 


LETTT^S FUTURE 


21 I 


selfish until grandmother pointed out to him 
how much upset every one had been by his 
long absence. 

We did not mean any harm, grand- 
mother,’' he said. We only wanted to have 
a good time. Is it always wrong to have a 
good time ? ” 

“ Why no, dear, of course not. It is right 
to enjoy oneself and be happy, if one can do 
so without causing pain or discomfort to 
others. But it is wrong to do things that are 
sure to distress or worry other people.” 

“ Bill Carpenter did not seem to think it 
was wrong. He said he had often been out 
later than this. I don’t believe his folks will 
even scold him.” 

Grandmother repressed a smile as she re- 
membered what Billy Carpenter’s mother had 
said was in store for that boastful young 
gentleman. 

“ Billy Carpenter has been brought up 
differently, Kit ” she began. 

“ Yes, without being tied to a girl’s apron- 
strings,” broke in Christopher bitterly. 

He did not mean to be rude to his grand- 
mother, but he was tired, hungry and a bit 


212 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


conscience-stricken ; all of which are apt to 
make any one feel a little out of temper. 

Grandmother did not reprove him. A new 
and not very pleasant idea had been suggested 
by Christopher’s, words. Had they made too 
much of a girl-boy of him ? Pampered him 
and watched him too closely ? she asked her- 
self. 

She sent Christopher up-stairs to tidy him- 
self while she saw Letty off for home and 
sent Joe Perkins on horseback to find Joshua 
and bring him back from his fruitless search. 
Joshua had taken the main road and so 
missed the truants on the short cut through 
Birch Lane. 

Jane did not know how to treat her 
brother. She was so glad to have him safe at 
home that she longed to hug and kiss him 
and cling to him. But he had been naughty 
and she supposed she must not speak to him. 
She eyed him askance and when he was not 
looking, felt of his arms and legs gently, to 
assure herself that he was whole. Her 
brother rubbed the places she touched and 
said : — Shucks ! ” without turning around. 

Christopher himself was surprised at being 


LETTT^S FUTURE 


213 

allowed to come to the supper table. He had 
fully expected to be sent to bed without any 
supper at all, but grandmother did not think 
it healthful to send growing children to bed 
without anything to eat. She allowed Chris- 
topher to have all the bread and butter and 
minced chicken that he wanted. It was only 
the sweets of which he was deprived. 

Grandmother was very silent and thought- 
ful all evening and the twins were miserable. 
When bedtime came she kissed them both 
good-night very gravely and said : 

“ You must consider yourself a sort of 
prisoner all day to-morrow, Kit. I shall trust 
you not to go off the place. Your grand- 
father will be home to-morrow night and I 
am leaving your punishment to him.” 

Jo Perkins, too, suffered the tortures of sus- 
pended judgment all the next day. He ful- 
filled his usual daily tasks about the stable, 
but Joshua gave him no instructions and 
Perk found a great many idle hours hanging 
heavily on his hands. He felt sadly left out 
of the busy farm-life. 

In the afternoon, Letty drove Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones out to see grandmother and to find 


21^ LETTT AND THE TWINS 

out if Mrs. Baker were any the worse for her 
scare. Letty drove the ponies down to the 
stable and found Perk moping by himself in 
the harness room. 

Hello, what’s the matter?” she asked 
sympathetically. 

I’m wondering what I’ll do when I leave 
here,” replied Perk bluntly. 

“Why, Perk, are you going away? I 
hadn’t heard that.” 

“ I guess I’ll get sent away — after yester- 
day’s doings.” 

“ Oh, no you won’t. Of course you did not 
do as you should have done yesterday, but 
Mr. and Mrs. Baker will forgive you. I’m sure. 
They are not the kind to shunt a person off 
without more of a trial than that. You just 
go to Mr. Baker when he gets home and tell 
him straight out that you’re sorry and will 
try to do better next time.” 

“ I ’most let Kit drown, too,” said Perk, 
and related the incident of the swimming 
pool, which Letty had not heard before. 

“ Well of course it was naughty to take Kit 
in swimming when you knew his grandfather 
did not allow it. But it was not really your 


LETTT'S FUTURE 


215 

fault about his cramp. And besides, Kit had 
had some lessons in swimming, you say. It 
was not as if he did not know anything at all 
about it. Anyway, you make a clean breast 
of it all to Mr. Baker. That’s the best way, 
always, and I’m pretty sure that he’ll forgive 
you and let you stay.” 

But Perk could not be cheered so easily, 
and set about unharnessing the ponies in a 
glum fashion so different from his usual 
whistling gayety that even Punch and Judy 
felt the difference. 

Letty went straight to Mrs. Baker and told 
her how badly Perk felt. 

I hope you and Mr. Baker won’t send him 
away,” she pleaded. He’s a good boy, but 
it will make him reckless and bitter if he 
should be turned off now. He’ll think that 
if people make so much of a small matter, 
there won’t be much punishment left for big 
wrongs, and that it isn’t worth while to be 
good. Please, dear Mrs. Baker, don’t think 
I’m trying to preach to you, but I heard my 
brother talk that way once — he had been dis- 
missed from a situation for some little care- 
lessness — and although I was very young at 


2i6 LEITT AND THE TWINS 


the time, IVe never forgotten how he felt 
about it. I hope you won’t send Perk 
away ? ” 

Letty’s cheeks were very red and her voice 
trembled, half with eagerness in pleading 
Perk’s cause, and half with fear at her own 
daring. 

Such a thing never entered my mind, 
Letty,” replied grandmother earnestly. Of 
course we should do nothing so severe. But 
Jo must be made to realize how serious his 
wrong-doing of yesterday was. For it is very 
wrong indeed to neglect or betray a trust, you 
know, however slight the consequences may 
prove. And Letty, dear, remember that it is 
the little things, after all, that count in life. 
The pennies go to make the dollars and the 
swift little seconds form years. Think of the 
infinitesimal animals at work in the sea, add- 
ing bit to bit through the centuries to make 
those wonderful coral islands we read about. 

“ And it is the same with the naughtinesses 
in the world. If a wee sin is committed here 
and another there, and pardoned or over- 
looked with the thought, ^ oh, that did no 
harm — it was not really wrong,’ why in time 


LETTT^S FUTURE 217 

the conscience will become hardened and the 
first thing one knows, one is in a condition to 
commit any wicked deed.'^ 

Letty looked up with a serious face, from 
Mrs. Baker to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, who had 
sat quietly by during grandmother’s little 
homily. 

I never thought before how very great the 
little things are, Mrs. Baker,” she said. “ I 
hope I can learn to be more careful after 
this.” 

You are a good, faithful child, and my 
lecture was not meant for you, dear. I am 
glad you spoke for Jo Perkins. Of course 
we shall not dismiss him. It would be 
wrong to set him adrift for so slight an 
offense ; we must make the punishment fit 
the wrong-doing. The offense this time is 
slight because it turned out all right, but it 
might have proven very serious. You know 
that Christopher tried to swim and was taken 
with a cramp in his arm ? ” 

Perk told me just now. He feels awfully 
about it.” 

That is news to me,” exclaimed Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones. ** No wonder you are feel- 


21^ LETTT AND THE TWINS 


ing nervous and upset over the ^ might-have- 
beens/ 

“ Yes/^ replied grandmother with a little 
shudder. ‘‘ 1 don’t know what to say about 
it because of course Christopher was not 
actually forbidden to swim. We did not 
think about such a question arising. But 
grandfather will be home to-night, and then 
everything will be all right.” 

What a comfort to have a strong arm to 
lean upon,” sighed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones wist- 
fully. Then she turned to Letty. “ Run off 
now and play, child. Jane is hopping her 
toes through her shoes with impatience.” 

Letty ran off and the two ladies discussed 
every detail of Christopher’s mishap, and 
how seriously it might have turned out. 

“Children can be the greatest sort of cares,” 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones said at length, half 
laughing but wholly in earnest, “ almost 
nuisances sometimes ; but the}^ are a blessing 
for all that ! ” She paused a moment and 
then added : “ Have you noticed what a fine 

nature Letty has, Mrs. Baker ? What a 
splendid chance for the development of a 
noble character? ” 


LETTT'S FUTURE 


219 

I think that what you have agreed to do 
for her is a wonderful opportunity for the 
child." 

“ But I should like the tie to be still closer, 
Mrs. Baker," exclaimed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
impulsively. “ I am wondering — I desire 
something very much, and yet I am not sure 
that it is wise. I have no one to go to for 
advice except my lawyer. I have consulted 
him, but he is so cold and businesslike. 
Might I talk it over with you, Mrs. Baker?" 

“ Do you mean," asked grandmother, a 
look of eager interest kindling in her eyes, 
‘‘ do you mean that you are considering the 
question of adopting Letty ? " 

‘^Just that," replied Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
solemnly. I am thinking about it a great 
deal — all the time, in fact. You see, there are 
so many, many reasons why I should do it, and 
so few why I should not ; that is, that I can 
see." 

“ That is apt to be the way with things we 
want very much to do," said grandmother 
mildly. But as far as I understand the 
matter, I agree with you. Will you tell me 
all about it, please? " 


220 LETTY AND THE TWINS 


And while Letty played out in the orchard 
with Jane at being Knights of the Round 
Table, her fairy godmother (as she secretly 
thought of Mrs. Hartwell- Jones) revealed to 
Grandmother Baker a plan which, if carried 
out, would bring to Letty a more wonderful 
future than any of which she had ever 
dreamed. 


CHAPTER XVI 


UNTYING THE APRON-STRINGS 

When grandfather got home he was ac- 
quainted promptly with the misdoings of 
Christopher and Jo Perkins. After the ex- 
pected thrashing had been given — much 
against grandfather’s tender heart — and Perk 
had had his stern lecture, without a word in 
it of dismissal — to his mingled astonishment 
and surprised relief — grandfather went into 
the sitting-room to talk events over with 
grandmother. Perk and Christopher both 
felt that great loads had been lifted off their 
minds. They had suffered penitence and 
had been punished for their wrong-doing, 
and they were free agents again. 

My dear,” said grandmother, after she had 
described minutely all her feelings during 
Christopher’s prolonged absence the after- 
noon before, My dear, I have been think- 
ing.” 


221 


222 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Not really ! interjected grandfather with 
pretended great astonishment, and chuckled. 

“ Yes, I have, seriously, and I have come to 
the conclusion that we coddle Kit too much ; 
treat him too much as we treat Jane — too 
much like a girl, in fact.” 

Grandfather looked genuinely surprised 
this time. 

“ I begin to think that there is something 
in this ‘ telepathy ^ that the newspapers talk 
about,” he said, taking an envelope from his 
pocket. “Just read this letter from Kit's 
father. I got it at the post-office on my way 
home this evening.” 

Grandmother took her son’s letter and put 
on her glasses. Grandfather pointed out the 
page to which he wished to draw her special 
attention. 

“ That is the part I meant,” he said and 
grandmother read : 

“ ‘ I have been thinking a good deal lately 
about Kit’s and Jane’s comradeship. Doesn’t 
it strike you and mother that we make too 
little distinction? We are anxious that the 
children should be congenial, and in trying to 
keep their tastes alike and yet have Jane 


UNITING ^PRON-STRINGS 223 

gentle and ladylike, isn’t there some danger 
of making Kit girly-girly ? 

‘ After all, Kit is a boy and Jane is a girl. 
They will have to draw apart some day and I 
am wondering if the time has not come to 
begin. Aren’t there some nice village boys 
in or about Hammersmith? There used to 
be. Suppose you let Kit play with them a 
bit and rough it like other fellows do. Now 
that you have found Letty again and she is 
as nice a child as she was three years ago, she 
will make a nice playmate for Janey, who 
won’t miss Kit so much. I really think it 
will do them both good.’ 

Exactly the opinion I had reached,” de- 
clared grandmother, dropping the letter. 
“ We must untie the apron-strings.” 

Grandfather looked puzzled for a moment 
over this expression, then he laughed heartily. 

That’s a very good way of putting it, my 
dear,” he said, “ only we must not untie them 
all at once. Too much freedom at one time 
is as bad as an overdose of anything else. Be- 
sides, if we begin all at once to give Kit full 
swing, it will set him to thinking of his old 
restrictions and in his new liberty he will 


224 LETTT and the TfFINS 

grow very sorry for himself and consider that 
he had been greatly abused. 

'' We must not let him think he’s been 
molly-coddled. We must be diplomatic. I 
shall tell him, in a day or two, that as long 
as he has got on so well with his swimming, 
he might as well go ahead with it. We’ll 
send him off with Perk, too, now and then, to 
show Perk that we still trust him ; although 
I shall go along the first time or two to see 
how things are. I do trust Perk, my dear. 
He is a good lad, although like all bo3^s, he’s 
fond of a lark.” 

Grandmother sighed, but it was not at the 
thought of Jo Perkins enjoying a good time. 

Our baby Kit has gone,” she said dole- 
fully, and a big boy has come in his stead. 
I do hope Janey won’t miss him too much. 
She has seemed a little offended at times, 
when Kit goes off with Billy Carpenter, but 
just now her heart is so full of Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones, Petty, and her dolly’s new bed, that 
she is happy even without Kit, bless her.” 

How different bo3^s and girls are, from 
the very beginning,” said grandfather soberly, 
as if he had just made a great discovery. 


UNITING APRON-STRINGS 225 

“ The girls love their dollies and the boys 
their swimming holes.” 

Do you realize that you are quoting 
Tennyson, after a fashion ? ” smiled grand- 
mother, and she recited : 

‘ Man for the field and woman for the hearth ; 

Man for the sword and for the needle she.’ 

“ Something else has taken place while you 
were away. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones has taken a 
great fancy to Letty.” 

Grandfather and grandmother exchanged 
very knowing glances at this. They had often 
wondered, since the little circus girl had gone 
to live with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, if something 
more would not come of the arrangement. 

It would be a great thing for Letty,” said 
grandmother at last. “ Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
believes that the child has a good singing 
voice.” 

Well, I am sure I should be thankful to 
see the little girl happy,” said grandfather. 

Letty is a good child and will repay any 
kindness Mrs. Hartwell-Jones does for her, 
I am sure. Have you finished with Kit’s 
letter, my dear? ” 


226 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Grandmother caught up the letter from her 
lap and turned to the beginning. 

Do they say anything about the date they 
are to sail?^^ She asked the question with 
mingled feelings. She would be very glad to 
see her son and daughter-in-law again, of 
course, but their return to America meant the 
departure of the twins from Sunnycrest and 
it really seemed too soon to end their happy 
visit. The summer had been very short. 

Two or three days later, grandfather opened 
the new program of events which he had 
planned. 

“ Kit, my boy,” he said at dinner, “ as long 
as you have started in with this swimming 
business, 1 suppose you might as well keep 
it up. It is a pity to let that one lesson go to 
waste.” 

Christopher’s face beamed with astonish- 
ment and delight. 

You don’t mean to say that you’re going 
to let me go swimming ? ” he cried. Oh, 
cricky, that’s bully ! ” 

‘‘ Why, yes, it seems to me that I knew how 
to swim when I was your age,” went on 
grandfather. “ Suppose we let Janey go into 


UNTTING ^PRON-STRINGS 227 

the village with grandmother this afternoon 
while you and Perk and I go off on a little 
lark of our own. What do you say to the 
plan, Kit ? ’’ 

I think it would be — be perfectly bully, 
sir ! ” shouted Christopher in great excite- 
ment. 

“ All right, then. I’ll have Perk harness 
the spring wagon. Grandmother, will you 
ask Huldah to put us up a bite of something? 
A pretty liberal bite, my dear. Learning to 
swim is hungry work. And I thought we 
might pick up Bill Carpenter on the way,” 
he added to Christopher, if we see him about 
anywhere.” 

“ Are you going to swim, too, grand- 
father ? ” asked Jane, folding her napkin 
neatly. I should think it would be horrid 
in the cold, weedy water. Please don’t let 
Kit drown again.” 

“Huh!” sniffed Christopher in his most 
superior manner, “ I just guess there’s not any 
danger of me drownin’. I can swim. You 
just ask Perk if I can’t.” 

“ Well, that’s nothing to be so smart about. 
I could swim, too, if I chose to learn. Girls 


22^ LETTT AND THE TWINS 


are just as clever as boys, every bit, only they 
don’t like such silly things.” 

The things a girl likes are heaps sillier,” 
retorted Christopher. “ Fairies and dolls ! 
Ho ! There aren’t any such things as fairies, 
and who’d play with a doll ? An old painted 
thing stuffed with sawdust ! ” 

Jane’s face grew red and her eyes filled with 
tears. 

“ You have always been glad enough to 
play with dolls and to talk about fairies when 
you hadn’t got any horrid boys around,” she 
said slowly. 

Then her injured feelings overcame her and 
she ran to her grandmother and buried her 
face on her shoulder. 

“ Oh, grandmother,” she sobbed, Kit 
doesn’t love me any more. He talks to me 
like other bo3’'s talk to girls. I always thought 
Kit and I would be just alike forever and 
ever, but we ain’t — aren’t, I mean — and it’s 
all Billy Carpenter’s fault ! ” 

Grandmother whispered comforting words 
in the little girl’s ear, and stroked her hair 
until Jane’s storm of tears was over. Chris- 
topher stood by in awkward silence. He 


UNITING APRON-STRINGS 229 

felt sorry and a little taken aback, for he 
had not really meant to hurt his sister's 
feelings. 

“ I didn't mean to be a beast, Jane," he 
said. I'm sorry I said that about your dolls. 
Stop crying, do, there's a good fellow. I'm 
sorry, honest Injun. I'll — I'll stay home ! " he 
gulped heroically, and play I'm Oberon or 
Puck all the afternoon ; or I'll doctor Sally 
through the scarlet fever. Stop crying, I 
say." 

Jane lifted a tear-stained face. 

I don't want you to stay home," she said 
cruelly. “ I am glad you've got something 
to do, 'cause I was only staying home to keep 
you company. I've got another engagement 
for this afternoon," and lifting her little 
square chin loftily, she walked out of the 
room. 

So occurred the first real break between 
the twins. Jane’s tender little heart re- 
proached her the minute she had closed the 
door. 

I was rude to him when he was trying 
to make up," she thought miserably. “ I 
wish I hadn't. And he’s going to be gone all 


230 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

the whole afternoon ! I hope it won’t spoil 
his picnic with grandfather.” 

Just as grandmother and Jane were about 
to start, Letty appeared in the pony carriage 
to take them. Grandmother decided, there- 
fore, to let Jane go back with Letty and 
she could follow later. But she remembered 
some jelly that she wished to send to Mrs. 
Hart well- Jones and asked the children to wait 
while she had it packed. Jane was glad of 
the delay, for she wanted a chance to make up 
with Christopher if possible, and he had gone 
down to the stable to help Perk harness the 
horse. They drove up presently, Christopher 
looking so supremely happy that Jane was 
obliged to acknowledge that her unforgiving 
words had not altogether spoiled his after- 
noon. 

Good-bye, Kit, I hope you’ll have a good 
time,” she said a little wistfully. 

Thanks, Janey ; wish you were going 
along,” replied Christopher graciously. But 
girls can’t do everything that boys can, you 
know. Some day we’ll have a picnic for the 
ladies, won’t we, grandfather ? ” he added 
politely. 


UNTYING APRON-STRINGS 231 

Grandfather kissed Jane and lifted her into 
the pony carriage beside Letty. 

Have a nice time at the author-lady’s, little 
Jane, and if you miss Kit very much, just 
let me know and I’ll make him go along next 
time to rock your baby to sleep. He’s not a 
man quite yet, you know.” 

He thinks he’s awful smart, though,” she 
replied to her grandfather, and stuck out her 
tongue resentfully at Christopher over Mr. 
Baker’s shoulder. 

'^Just the same, you’re not allowed to go 
alone,” she taunted. 

Christopher refused to have his spirits 
damped. 

Grandfather is only going so that I can 
show him how well I know how to swim. 
And he’s not so bad as having girls tagging 
along,” he answered coolly. 

And grandfather felt that the apron-strings 
were indeed untied ! 


CHAPTER XVII 


GOOD NEWS 

Grandfather remembered Christopher’s 
promise to Jane and did get up another picnic 
^‘for the ladies/’ but the ladies included only 
Jane and her grandmother. Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones and Letty were not invited for several 
reasons, chiefly because grandmother had ex- 
pressed the wish to have it strictly a family 
party. She realized that the end of Jane’s 
and Christopher’s visit at Sunnycrest was 
drawing near ; that before very long their 
father and mother would return and carry 
the children back to their home in the city. 
And so she thought that one last party, all by 
themselves, would be very nice. Jane and 
Christopher thought so too. They were 
always happy and contented with their grand- 
parents. 

Of course they went to the woods — the only 
picnic grounds worth considering except on 
circus day. Grandfather drove past the 
232 


GOOD NEPFS 233 

swimming pool, so that Jane might see the 
spot where Christopher had learned to swim 
and wherein he had almost drowned on that 
memorable afternoon. They went on farther 
yet into the woods. It was all deliciously 
green and brown ; still and cool. Jane was 
quite confident that she would catch sight of 
a fairy before long. 

Grandfather had brought some fishing- 
tackle, and after the picnic ground was chosen 
and the horse unharnessed and made comfort- 
able, they all sat in a row on the bank of the 
stream and fished. At the end of half an 
hour Jane, to Christopher's secret envy, was 
the only one who had caught anything. 
It was a fat little perch that wriggled and 
shone in the sunlight. 

Oh, the poor little thing ! " cried Jane, 
and covered her face with her hands while 
grandfather took it off the hook. 

Coward-y cat ! " jeered Christopher. 
''Isn't that just like a girl! Afraid of a 
fish 1 " 

Jane took up the cold, squirming thing and 
held it tight in both hands, looking her 
brother straight in the eyes. 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

“ I am not a coward-y cat, Kit Baker,” she 
said quietly. I just couldn’t bear to see the 
poor thing being hurt with that dreadful 
sharp hook.” 

Christopher felt subdued. It had not oc- . 
curred to him to feel sorry for the fish. 

“ It’s only a fish,” he muttered. They 
don’t feel much.” 

Janey is quite right,” said grandfather. 

A truly kind heart always sympathizes with 
any animal, however small, that is in pain.” 

They fished on patiently for another half 
hour, not talking much (Christopher could 
not keep absolutely silent) for fear of scaring 
away the fish, which, however, must have had 
either a bad fright or a warning, for they 
refused to bite or even nibble. Finally grand- 
mother suggested that it was rather useless to 
try any longer. 

But one fish won’t go very far,” grumbled 
Christopher. ‘‘Let’s try for just one more. 
It’s hungry work, fishing.” 

“ I think Huldah has packed enough in 
the basket to keep us from starving until sup- 
per time,” laughed grandmother, “ and as 
there is only one poor little fish for all of us, 


GOOD NEWS 


235 

suppose we just put him back into the 
water? ” 

Oh, no,” cried Christopher aggrieved. 

“ Oh, yes, let’s,” exclaimed Jane. “ Poor 
little fish, we’ll make him happy. He’s my 
fish and I guess I have the right to say what 
shall be done with him,” she added defiantly, 
seizing the basket as Christopher made a 
lunge for it. If your stomach wasn’t so 
greedy, Kit Baker, your heart would be 
kinder.” 

Jane let the wriggling pink fish slip back 
into the brook, where he darted out of sight 
in an instant among the rushes. 

The hamper that Huldah had packed 
certainly did promise to satisfy the appetite 
of even the hungriest people in the world. 
There were all sorts and conditions of sand- 
wiches ; thin and square with the crusts cut 
off. Some had slices of chicken inside, others 
pink boiled tongue. Still others had tender 
leaves of dressed lettuce — these were grand- 
mother’s favorites — and others with jelly. 
Then there were soft ginger cakes and crisp 
sugar wafers ; apple pie — Huldah’s famous 
apple pie with plenty of cinnamon — hard 


236 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

boiled eggs that had the yolks beaten up with 
salad dressing ; pears, plums and a whole 
chocolate layer cake. There were also bottles 
of milk and coffee which latter grandmother 
heated over a spirit lamp in a tiny saucepan 
put in for the purpose. Christopher wanted 
to build a fire out of sticks and bits of wood 
for the coffee, but grandfather said it was too 
hot for that. 

After the luncheon was over, Jane and 
Christopher went off to gather moss and pine- 
needles. Jane had planned to make a pine 
pillow to take home to her mother, who de- 
clared that they always cured her headaches. 
Letty had promised to help her with the sew- 
ing, for Jane did not like to sew very well, 
not even to make doll’s clothes, and it was 
only a labor of love (or the occasional desire 
to be thought grown-up) that could induce 
her to use a needle. 

Fir trees were somewhat scarce in the grove 
and the children had to walk some distance. 
They left grandfather and grandmother dis- 
cussing something in very low, serious tones. 

What are they talking about?” asked 
Christopher, pointing his thumb over his 


GOOD NEJVS 


237 

shoulder in the direction of his grandparents. 

They look like they sometimes do when 
we’ve been up to something.” 

“ But we haven’t — not for a long time,” 
put in Jane defensively. Not since the time 
you played hookey with Perk and drowned 
because you didn’t know how to swim.” 

“ I didn’t play hookey. Grandfather let 
me go.” 

He didn’t say you might go in swim- 
ming.” 

Well, he has since,” returned Christopher 
triumphantly, as if that settled the matter. 
“ But something is up,” he added, returning 
to his subject. “ Do you suppose they’ve 
found out about our putting that hard cider 
we found in the cellar into the pups’ milk ? ” 

It was only some left-over stuff, and it 
didn’t hurt the pups,” said Jane hurriedly, 
for the idea had been hers. “ And it did 
make them act funny.” 

They both laughed at the recollection. 

Well, then, maybe it’s the green stripes I 
painted on the pig the day we pretended he 
was a zebra in the circus. Grandfather said 
green paint was very poisonous. I’d have 


22,^ LETTT AND THE TWINS 

used brown paint if I could have found an}^ ; 
it would have been lots more lifelike. Any- 
how it didn’t seem to hurt the pig an}^, al- 
though it did lick a lot off.” 

I know what it is they’re talking about,” 
replied Jane with an air of importance. It’s 
not the pigs and it’s not the pups. It’s about 
Letty.” 

Letty ! What has she been doing?” de- 
manded Christopher in astonishment. He 
had looked upon Letty as so far above 
naughtiness as to be considered almost a 
goody-goody. 

“ She hasn’t done anything,” explained 
Jane. “ They are just talking about where 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones is going to send her to 
school this fall. I heard Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
say something about it to grandmother the 
last time we were there.” 

Oh, is that all ! ” exclaimed Christopher 
indifferently, and lost his interest in the sub- 
ject immediately. 

But, if the twins had known it, Mr. and 
Mrs. Baker were discussing something much 
more interesting than Letty’s school, and that 
was, Letty’s whole future. Grandmother had 


GOOD NEWS 


239 

had a very short, very happy note from Mrs. 
Hartwell- Jones just before leaving for the 
picnic. It seemed that the lady who wrote 
books,” after a great deal of discussion with 
her lawyer, a long letter from Mrs. Baker, 
the twins’ mother, some correspondence with 
Mrs. Drake (whose whereabouts Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones had had a good deal of trouble to 
discover), and finally a personal visit from 
her lawyer, had resolved definitely upon the 
great step of making Letty her own little 
girl. 

As soon as they were alone, grandmother 
gave Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s note to grand- 
father to read. It began with the announce- 
ment of the author-lady’s decision, included 
an invitation for the picnickers to stop at 
her house on their way home for congratula- 
tions and supper, and wound up with the re- 
quest that she be allowed to tell the twins the 
news herself. 

I want to see Janey’s face,” she wrote, 
** when she learns what a wonderful thing 
has come to me out of her little idea of being 
helpful to a fellow mortal. May the dear 
child grow up to be as tender and thought- 


2^0 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

ful a woman as she is a little girl I She 
will undoubtedly be greatly and widely be- 
loved/^ 

“ Isn’t it beautiful the way she speaks of 
our Janey ? ” said grandmother with tears in 
her eyes, when grandfather had finished read- 
ing the note. 

“ Does Letty know yet ? ” he asked. 

“ She is to tell her this afternoon, and we 
are to stop in on our way home from the 
picnic to rejoice with them. You see she in- 
vites us all to supper.” 

“ That will please Kit,” smiled his grand- 
father. “ You have not given Jane a suspi- 
cion of it? ” 

Of course not. Don’t you see that Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones wants the pleasure of telling 
her herself, or let Letty do it. I wonder 
what Letty said and did when she was told, 
and what they are saying about it now ? ” 

Letty’s feelings at that moment were really 
too mixed up and bewildered to describe. 
She had had a very happy day, performing 
her customary tasks in the morning and 
driving as usual with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
in the pony carriage. She had not felt a 


GOOD NEWS 


241 

bit badly (as Jane had feared she might) at 
not being invited to the picnic. She loved 
the children and their good times dearly, but 
she was equally satisfied to be alone with Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones. 

That usually placid lady appeared extra- 
ordinarily excited and restless to-day. 

Oh ! ” Letty had exclaimed when she 
came into the sitting-room that morning 
with the breakfast tray, which she insisted 
upon preparing always herself. “ How pretty 
you look ! Your cheeks are as rosy as 
Jane’s ! ” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones had laughed and 
kissed Letty, but she said nothing of what 
was on her mind until the afternoon. It 
was a warm, sunshiny day with a sort of 
hush over the earth. The air was still and 
full of sweety clean country smells. Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones and Letty sat alone together 
in the large, up-stairs sitting-room. A little 
later they were to have a tea-party of two, 
for Mrs. Hartwell-Jones always liked a cup of 
tea or chocolate in the afternoon. 

Letty, my dear,” said Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
gently, trying to keep the excitement out of 


24,2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

her voice, “ please sit here on the stool, close 
by me. I have something very important to 
talk to you about. 

“ Something important to talk to me 
about ! repeated Letty in astonishment. 

Oh, what is it? " 

“ Sit there, dear child, facing me. Now 
look up at me so that I can watch your eyes. 
Tell me, Letty dear, have you ever thought 
about what you would do when you grew 
up? 

Not very much ; not at all since I have 
been with you. Before — when I was with 
the circus I used to wonder what I could do 
to get away from it all. I knew that I could 
never stand it to go on travelling about with 
a circus all my life. Mrs. Drake was very 
good to me and the baby was dear ! But 
I hated the life ; living in tents, always on 
the go ; no school, no little girl friends, no 
home ! ” 

She sat looking at the floor thoughtfully 
for a moment. 

I suppose I ought to have thought about 
it more,” she said humbly. I am afraid I 
have taken your kindness too much as a 



“ NOW LOOK UP AT ME ” 





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GOOD NEWS 


243 

matter of course, dear Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 
I shall try to show you how truly grateful I 
am to you for giving me such a happy home ! 
And you know how delighted I am about 
boarding-school,” she added eagerly. “ It 
seems just like — well, almost like heaven to 
be like other girls and go to school to learn 
things and be happy. I shall study hard and 
be good in school to show how grateful 
I am. And then, perhaps, when I am grown 
up, I can teach and pay you back for all you 
are going to do for me.” 

“ You dear little girl ! ” cried Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones with a sob in her voice, “ I want 
no thanks but your happiness ! 

But now, listen to what I have to say. 
How would you like being somebody^s little 
girl in earnest? To have a real home to go 
to in holiday time, and — and some one to love 
you and be as nearly a mother to you as it is 
possible to be ? ” 

Letty looked puzzled and a little frightened. 

“Have you found some of my relatives? 
some one to claim me?” she asked. “Oh, 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, I don't want to leave 
you I I don't, I don't ! You have taken as 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

great care of me as my mother could have. 
Please don’t send me away ! ” 

“ No, no, dear, never. You don’t under- 
stand, Letty darling. Do you know what 
adoption means ? ” 

‘‘ No, I am afraid I don’t,” said Letty 
meekly. She hung her head and blushed, 
embarrassed as she always was at her igno- 
rance, when asked the meaning of something 
she did not know. 

It means,” said Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
slowly, that any one who wishes, and there 
are no reasons why one should not do so, can 
take a little girl or boy into one’s home and 
make that child her very own, by law. And 
it means, Letty darling, that if ^mu are willing, 
I intend to take you to my home and make 
you my own little daughter I ” 

Letty sat staring at her with wide eyes. 
She was too bewildered — too overwhelmed to 
speak. Two great tears welled up in Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones’s eyes and rolled down her 
cheeks. Then she gave an odd little cry and 
stretched out her arms. 

Oh, my little girl, my little girl ! ” she 
whispered. 


GOOD NEfVS 


245 

Neither of them knew how long they sat 
there, wrapped in each other’s arms, not 
talking except for a quick question and 
answer now and then. At last they were 
interrupted by a hesitating knock on the door, 
and Anna Parsons’ voice was heard calling : 

“ Please, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, mother says 
she is afraid the chocolate will spoil if it waits 
any longer.” 

Letty laughed and springing to the door, 
threw it wide open. 

** Oh, Anna,” she cried, “ I am the happiest 
girl in the whole wide world ! Bring in the 
chocolate and cakes, quick.” 

Anna turned up her nose a trifle. It 
seemed rather a greedy thing to say that one 
was the happiest girl in the world at sight of 
hot chocolate and cakes — even if they were 
Madeira cakes. But then, she did not know 
the wonderful thing that had happened to 
Letty. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


A CABLEGRAM 

In spite of Letty’s appearing to be overjoyed 
at the arrival of the chocolate and cakes, she 
did not eat very much. For some reason 
which Anna did not understand she did not 
seem able to keep quiet for an instant. Every 
second she would jump up to fetch some 
trifle for Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, for which 
that lady had not felt the slightest need ; or 
if she could think of nothing to do, would 
simply whirl about the room in an ecstasy of 
motion. Anna watched her with astonished 
curiosity. 

These little afternoon tea-parties occurred 
every day now, and Anna Parsons was always 
included. Usually on the days when the 
twins and their grandmother were not present, 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones did most of the talking, 
entertaining her little guests with descriptions 
of her travels across the seas or telling them 
bits of stories that she had read or written 
246 


A CABLEGRAM 247 

herself. But to-day it was Letty who talked. 
Talked ! She became a perfect chatterbox. 
Indeed, she seemed like a different person 
altogether, with her sparkling eyes, red cheeks 
and prattling tongue. 

Presently Anna Parsons asked some ques- 
tion about the ponies. Punch and Judy, and 
that set Letty off on her recollections of the 
circus. Soon she had Anna and Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones both laughing heartily over her 
tales ; little Anna nearly fell off her chair 
in her merriment over the account of the 
trick elephant’s puzzled behavior when they 
softened the clapper of his bell so that it 
would not sound when he rang it. 

Then she told all the droll stories she could 
remember about Poll, Mrs. Goldberg’s par- 
rot; and about the wonderful day Emma 
Haines had spent with her at Willow Grove 
and how she had saved Jane and Christopher 
from the bear. 

This mention of the twins and Willow 
Grove set Mrs. Hartwell-Jones thinking of 
the letter she had received from the children’s 
mother. Both she and grandmother had 
written to Mrs. Baker, Jr., and the answer had 


248 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

been most satisfactory, both earnest and en- 
thusiastic. Mrs. Baker had described her visit 
to Mrs. Jones and told what a sweet, cultured, 
refined woman she had found her to be, and 
how carefully brought up and guarded Letty 
had been. 

Unless these three years with a traveling 
circus since her mother’s death have spoiled 
her, I am sure you could find no more lady- 
like child than Letty,” she had written. 
“ Certainly she has sufficient birth and breed- 
ing to overcome any little bad habits she 
may have acquired, and in the proper sur- 
roundings I am sure she will grow into a 
charming, refined gentlewoman. Moreover, 
she may prove to have an inestimable gift. 
Her mother told me that she herself sang 
quite well when she was a younger woman, 
and that she had a strong conviction that 
Letty had inherited her voice.” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones sat thinking over this 
letter and all the little incidents of the child’s 
past life that Letty had told her from time to 
time, and she breathed a little prayer of 
thanksgiving that a precious soul had been 
entrusted ito her care. 


A CABLEGRAM 


249 

“ But I thought you didn’t like the circus,” 
exclaimed Anna at last, when she could laugh 
no more. 

“ I didn’t,” answered Letty positively, be- 
coming grave all at once. I didn’t like it 
at all I ” She was silent for a moment and 
then said soberly : “ Anna, did you ever get 

into a deep, dark wood with lots of low, thorny 
bushes and vines among the trees that caught 
your feet and tangled them and pricked you 
when you tried to walk through ? And then, 
all at once you came out into the bright, 
bright sunshine ? Then, if you looked back 
at the wood, while you were safe outside in 
the warm sunshine, it did not look so dread- 
ful, but you found that it had some rather 
bright spots in it here and there. Well, that 
is how I feel about the circus.” 

Oh !” said Anna wonderingly. 

“ Oh, oh, it is so nice to be out in the sun- 
shine again ! ” sighed Letty clasping her hands 
and looking across at Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
with tears in her eyes. So nice I ” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones opened her arms with- 
out a word, and Letty ran to them with a glad 
little cry. Anna stared at the pair in amaze- 


2SO LETTr AND THE TWINS 

ment, quite unable to account for this display 
of emotion. Then, with a sudden instinct 
that she was not wanted for the moment she 
rose, gathered the teacups softly together on 
the tray and tiptoed out of the room. 

It was some time before Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
and Letty were again interrupted. This time 
it was the sound of a horse’s hoofs in the road 
below and then Grandfather Baker’s voice 
calling Whoa ! ” 

Our supper guests are arriving,” exclaimed 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones smiling. 

^^Oh!” cried Letty, jumping to her feet. 

May I tell them ? ” 

“ Of course you may, my dear, that is, the 
children. The grown-ups already know. I 
could not keep my secret from Mrs. Baker.” 

Letty flew out of the room, and met the 
Baker family mounting the stairs. She 
looked so radiantly happy that Christopher 
felt sure that there was going to be something 
particularly good for supper. 

When they had all gathered in the sitting- 
room, after the greetings were over, Letty an- 
nounced her glorious news, and then, oh, 
what excitement prevailed ! The old Parsons 


A CABLEGRAM 


251 

house had never known anything like it. 
Every one talked at once, no one knew what 
any one else was saying, and no one answered 
questions. Indeed, nobody expected to be 
answered at first, nor said anything of any 
importance. They just oh’d and ah'd 
and kissed one another and laughed — and 
cried a little bit too, the feminine part. At 
this point Christopher drew his grandfather 
aside and said in a disgusted voice : 

There they go again ! What makes 
women and girls cry so much, grandfather ? 
They^re as bad when they^re pleased as when 
they^re sorry.^* 

Letty^s cheeks grew redder and redder, and 
h^r eyes danced and sparkled until they were 
fit companions for the stars that were already 
beginning to peep through the darkening sky 
outside. For it was growing later and later. 
Christopher began to be afraid that nobody 
would remember about supper. He could 
not be the one to remind Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, 
since he was her guest, but the picnic in the 
woods seemed farther and farther in the past 
until at length he decided that it had hap- 
pened the day before — or maybe years ago I 


2S2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

A fellow’s stomach can’t stay empty forever, 
you know, and he began to wonder what were 
the first symptoms of starvation. 

Mrs. Hartwell- Jones came to herself and a 
realization of her duties as hostess in time, 
however, to save him from the actual pangs 
of starvation, and Mrs. Parsons, who had come 
up with Anna to see. what it was all about ” 
bustled down-stairs again with the promise 
that she would have supper on the table in 
a jiffy.” 

At table the grown-ups, who all sat together 
at one end of the table, seemed to have a 
good deal to say to each other that was serious, 
but the children were brimful of fun and 
nonsense, and Letty kept the twins in a gale 
of laughter, just as she had kept Anna Parsons 
and Mrs. Hartwell-Jones in the afternoon. 

After supper the children went out-of-doors 
and sat on the steps in the sweet night air 
while Letty sang to them. They grew very 
quiet and sober in the soft, solemn darkness. 
Presently Christopher said briskly, by way of 
breaking what he thought was beginning to 
be an awkward silence : 

I guess you’re some happy to-night, Letty. 


A CABLEGRAM 


253 

How does it feel to be somebody’s little girl after 
you haven’t belonged to anybody for so long ? ” 
Instead of answering Letty suddenly began 
to cry. She only now saw how very lonely 
she had been these past three dreary years. 

There now, you rude boy, you’ve hurt her 
feelings. I hope you’re satisfied,” exclaimed 
Jane indignantly. How would you like to 
be told you didn’t belong to any one ? ” 

But I do belong to some one, and I alwa3^s 
have. But Letty didn’t, until Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones took her, and I don’t see why she has 
to cry just because I spoke the truth,” argued 
Christopher. 

Kit is right,” said Letty, drying her tears. 
“I didn’t belong to any one before and it 
makes me so happy now to think that I’m 
really going to be somebody’s little girl again 
that — that I had to cry.” 

Huh ! Had to cry ! Why don’t you 
laugh if you’re glad ? Why, I’d laugh for a 
week if I was going to belong to somebody 
that had as many good things to eat as Mrs. 
Hart well- Jones always has.” 

Why, Kit, would you like to leave father 
and mother ? ” exclaimed Jane, much shocked. 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

‘‘ I didn't say that, but Mrs. Hart well- Jones 
certainly does know how to feed a fellow," 
and Christopher smacked his lips. 

Letty saw the word “ greedy " trembling on 
Jane's tongue and to check it she began 
quickly to talk about her good fortune. 

“ I am not to go to boarding-school, after 
all, because Mrs. Hartwell- Jones said she would 
be too lonely without me," she said with a 
happy laugh. “ Oh, just think of having a 
home to go back to every day after school ! 
And the girls won't snub me because of being 
a little circus girl ! " she exclaimed, and, to 
Christopher's vexation, began to cry again. 

Jane grew very thoughtful all of a sudden. 
She thought of her own home-coming each day 
after school. She remembered that sometimes 
— quite often, indeed — she had not wanted 
to go home at all ; had thought it very stupid 
to sit in the house and study. She would 
much rather go to the house of a schoolmate, 
or bring a friend home to play with her. But 
mother did not approve of visiting on school- 
days, and Jane's good times always had to be 
put off until Friday and Saturday during 
term-time. Mother was always at home to 


A CABLEGRAM 


255 

welcome her, and to ask about her lessons, 
quite as much interested in everything that 
had happened as if she, too, were a little girl. 
Then Christopher would get home from his 
school and the twins would have a jolly romp 
together before study time. Still Jane had 
found it dull at home at times. She wondered 
why, when she thought of how much she 
loved her mother and when she saw how 
happy it made Letty to think of going home 
to a woman who was very dear and sweet but 
who wasn't her own mother after all — not 
really and truly her mother. 

The children had not spoken for some 
tipae. Christopher was busying himself with 
trying how many stars he could count with- 
out changing his position. Suddenly a 
shadowy figure whirled toward them out of 
the darkness. Letty caught her breath and 
half rose to her feet. Christopher grasped 
the step with both hands and ejaculated : — 
'' Oh, cricky ! " He grew very pale for a 
moment but controlled his feelings bravely. 
But Jane screamed outright and threw both 
her arms around Letty's neck. 

But the shadowy figure turned out to be 


2s 6 LETrr AND THE TWINS 

only Jo Perkins on his bicycle. He carried 
a small envelope which he handed to Chris- 
topher. 

It^s a cablegram, Kit,'' he said. Run 
up to your grandfather with it, quick. It 
came about supper time and Huldah said she 
didn’t know but it might be something im- 
portant and that I'd better ride in with it." 

Perk propped his bicycle against the steps 
and waited while the twins rushed up-stairs. 

It's from father and mother," shouted 
Christopher, tumbling up the stairs in the 
lead. What does it say, grandfather, oh, 
what does it say ? " 

Jane scrambled up behind her brother. 

They're coming home, they're coming 
home ! " she sang blissfully. “ When, grand- 
father ? When?" 

Grandfather looked a bit startled at this 
abrupt entrance. He fumbled for his spec- 
tacles, put them on and unfolded the cable- 
gram carefully, while grandmother leaned 
over his shoulder, almost as impatient as the 
children. 

" We sail * Metric ' Thursday. All well," 
read grandfather. 


A CABLEGRAM 257 

I knew they were coming, I knew it I ” 
cried Jane happily. “ When will they get 
here, grandfather ? ” 

Then grandfather, grandmother and Jane 
began talking all at once, while Christopher 
whistled “ The Campbells are Coming as 
the most appropriate tune he could think of 
and Mrs. Hartwell- Jones and Letty stood 
hand in hand, smiling upon them all happily. 
A few weeks ago this little scene of rejoicing 
would have made Letty very sorrowful, but 
now she had her own unspeakable joy. 

Outside in the soft summer night Jo Perkins 
sat on the fence and waited in comfortable 


unconcern. 


CHAPTER XIX 


SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES 

Jane/^ said Christopher to his sister 
three days later, a week is an awfully short 
time.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” demanded Jane. 

She knew that when Christopher began to 
speak in that tone he had something in par- 
ticular to say. 

I mean that in a week mother and father 
will be here and ” 

A week isnT a short time to wait to see 
them when we haven’t seen them for a long, 
long summer,” interrupted Jane indignantly. 

Well, it’s a short time when it’s all we’ve 
got left of staying here, isn’t it ? ” retorted 
Christopher. 

Jane’s face lengthened. She had not 
thought of that side of the question. 

Do you think they are going to take us 
right straight home? ” she asked slowly. 

“ Why, of course. Father’s been away from 
258 


STMPTOMS OF MEASLES 259 

his business so long that he’ll just have to 
get back to it. I know enough to know 
that,” replied Christopher in his most ex- 
asperatingly superior tone. 

But Jane was too deep in her own thoughts 
to be provoked. She was trying to under- 
stand the queer feeling that Christopher’s 
words brought to her heart. Surely she was 
not sorry that her father and mother were 
coming home? Oh, no, the thump her heart 
gave told her that that was not the reason. 
But it would be hard to leave grandfather and 
grandmother, Huldah and the puppies ! 

‘‘ Don^t you think they’ll let us stay a little 
longer?” she repeated. “School doesn’t 
begin for almost another month.” 

“ I don’t know. But if one of us was ill, 
we’d have to stay longer, wouldn’t we?” 

“ Why, yes, of course. But then it wouldn’t 
be any fun. Besides neither of us is ill or 
anything like it.” 

“ It is fun to be ill if you’re not so very 
bad,” said Christopher, answering the first 
half of Jane’s sentence. “ Why, when Edward 
Hammond had the measles — do you re- 
member? — he had lots of fun. He had to 


26 o LEITT AND THE TWINS 


stay in bed a few days, but he didn’t mind 
that ’cause his mother read him stories and 
he got lots of presents.” 

“ Did he? Well, I guess mother’ll bring*^ as 
a present.” 

And nice things to eat,” went on Chris- 
topher. “ It was really great sport being ill.” 

Jane eyed her brother suspiciously. 

Kit Baker, what’s the matter? What do 
you mean ? Why are you talking such a lot 
about Edward Hammond having the measles? 
It all happened over a year ago anyhow, and 
he’s as well as you or I, now.” 

It wasn’t Edward I was thinking so much 
about as the measles.” 

Jane turned. 

“What about the measles? You don’t 
think you’re getting them, do you? Have 
you been exposed ? ” 

“ You don’t have to be exposed to get the 
measles.” 

“ Oh, but you do, I know. Else why is 
mother always so careful to keep us away 
from any one who has measles ? ” 

“ Oh, I suppose you can catch them from 
somebody else, but you can get them without 


SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES 261 


being exposed, too, because Edward’s mother 
said he hadn’t been exposed, so there.” 

She said she couldn’t find out that he’d 
been exposed,” corrected Jane. But I’d 
like to know what difference it makes now. 
Kit Baker. Do you feel as if you were get- 
ting the measles? ” 

“Not exactly, only — why, don’t you see? 
If one of us was to get the measles, we 
couldn’t go back to town so soon. And 
whichever one of us had ’em would have a 
bully time, with presents and sweetbreads 
and things,” he added hastily, as if offering 
an inducement. 

Jane considered. She felt sure that there 
was something behind Christopher’s words — 
something he was trying to make her under- 
stand ; but she could not make out what it 
was. 

“ Well, anyway,” she announced finally, “ I 
haven’t the measles, nor anything else. I 
don’t know about you, but if you are coming 
down with anything you’ll have plenty of 
time to get over it before we go home.” 

Which practical speech ended the conversa- 
tion for the present. 


262 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Whatever Christopher^s deep-laid schemes 
were, he decided that the time was not yet 
ripe to unfold them. Then, too, there might 
be no necessity. He would wait and see. 

But immediately after breakfast, two days 
before the steamship Metric ” was due 
to arrive in New York, he came upon his 
grandparents as they were ending a private 
consultation. Christopher overheard grand- 
mother say : 

“ It will have to be Monday, then, two days 
after they get here.” 

The words set Christopher thinking. As 
usually happens when one overhears some- 
thing intended for other ears, he misunder- 
stood grandmother’s meaning and jumped to 
the conclusion that the Monday to which 
grandmother referred was the day set for their 
return to the city. To leave Sunnycrest and 
all its joys, the freedom, the open air, country 
life ! To leave on Monday and this was 
Thursday ! Clearly there was no time to be 
lost. He rushed off to find Jane, carried her 
to the most remote corner of the orchard and 
there they sat a good hour or more, quite be- 
yond the reach of ears, however sharp, but 


SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES 263 

showing, had any one been interested enough 
to watch, that the topic under discussion was 
very weighty — and with two sides to it, to 
judge from Jane’s determined attitude and 
Christopher’s of persuasion. 

It had been arranged that grandfather and 
grandmother were to go to the city on Friday 
afternoon, sleep there overnight, meet the ship 
which was to dock very early in the morning 
and bring the twins’ parents back with them 
to Sunnycrest on Saturday. 

Grandmother, who believed in being punc- 
tual always, had already packed her bag and 
was in readiness for the journey quite soon 
after breakfast, although they did not have to 
start until after an earlier dinner than usual. 

But shortly after eleven o’clock Jane came 
into the house looking very much flushed and 
complained of not feeling well. Even as she 
spoke, she turned white and became very ill. 
Christopher, who had followed her to the 
door of grandmother’s room, looked on with 
deep concern. 

Why, Kit,” exclaimed grandmother, 
what have you and Janey been doing? ” 
Playing,” answered Christopher briefly. 


26 ^ LETTT AND THE TWINS 

He seemed to have lost his usual too-ready 
tongue. '' We were just playing.” 

“ Was Janey swinging in the hammock or 
anything that could have made her so sea- 
sick? ” 

We weren’t near the hammock,” answered 
Christopher frankly. “ Are you going to 
send for the doctor, grandmother ? ” 

I hope it won’t be necessary,” replied 
grandmother anxiously. Please ask Huldah 
to come up-stairs, Kit. I’ll get Janey to bed.” 

Jane appeared so limp and miserable that 
grandmother decided (greatly to her secret 
disappointment) to give up her journey to 
town and stay at home with her, letting grand- 
father go by himself. 

And it will be a melancholy meeting with 
such anxious news for the children’s father 
and mother,” she added regretfully. 

Oh, Jane’s not as ill as that,” expostulated 
Christopher. She’s — she’s — it’ll just keep 
us from going home so soon, perhaps, but 
that’s all. You go ahead to town, grand- 
mother. I’ll take care of Janey — me and 
Huldah. And perhaps Letty’ll come out and 
read to us.” 


STMPTOMS OF MEASLES 265 

Oh, I should be afraid to let Letty come 
until I know what the matter is. Janey may 
be coming down with something. It is most 
distressing, and Dr. Greene is away up country 
and won’t be back to-night.” 

And grandmother, cheerful, serene grand- 
mother, actually cried a little. But then you 
see, she was both worried about Jane’s sudden, 
somewhat mysterious illness, and disappointed 
that she should have such distressing news to 
give the children’s mother just at this last 
moment when everything had gone so beauti- 
fully all summer long. 

Don’t you think you’d better go? ” urged 
grandfather. He, too, was disappointed, for 
he and grandmother rarely traveled and 
always enjoyed their little excursions together. 

Don’t you think Janey’s mother might 
worry more than she need if you sta}^ behind ? 
She will think it more serious than it reall}^ 

is. ” 

It is serious enough to make me unwilling 
to leave Janey,” answered grandmother posi- 
tively. “ I should worry every single instant 
if I were away from her. I could not stand 

it, not knowing how she is every minute. 


266 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


With her symptoms she might be coming 
down with almost anything/’ 

“ But I don’t think she’s very ill,” put in 
Christopher again. “ You just tell father and 
mother she’ll be all right in a week or two if 
they ” 

“In a week or two ! ” exclaimed grand- 
mother, looking ready to cry again. “ I hope 
it is not going to be so long an illness as 
that ! ” 

Christopher blushed and hung his head, 
while grandfather again urged the wisdom 
of going to town together as they had origi- 
nally planned. But grandmother was firm. 
She changed her dress and went back to Jane’s 
room. Jane set up a wail when she heard 
that grandmother was to remain at home. 

“ I am not ill, grandmother, not a bit ! ” 
she moaned. “I — I ” 

“ Be careful, Jane,” called Christopher from 
the doorway of his own room. “ You’ll — 
you’ll get sick again.” 

Jane dropped back in bed and began to cry. 
Grandmother knelt down and did her best to 
comfort her, but Jane sobbed on quite heed- 
lessly. 


SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES 267 

Grandfather and Christopher had to sit 
down to dinner alone, as grandmother would 
not leave Jane and grandfather could not 
wait or he would miss his train. It was 
rather a melancholy meal. Grandfather ate 
hardly anything and even Christopher’s appe- 
tite failed. He watched his grandfather off 
and rode on the step of the carriage as far as 
the gate, but he did not ask permission to go 
all the way to Hammersmith, for the sake of 
the ride, as grandfather and Joshua had both 
expected him to do. 

The boy seems quite unlike himself,” 
grandfather remarked to Joshua as they drove 
away. He takes Janey’s illness very much 
to heart.” 

I always agreed there was a lot of character 
in that boy,” replied Joshua heartily. 

Christopher was told, when he got back to 
the house, that Jane was asleep and must on 
no account be disturbed, so he tiptoed discon- 
solately away and cast about for something to 
do. He began to be sorry he had not asked 
leave to ride into the village. 

At about five o’clock grandmother called 
him. Jane was awake and feeling ever so 


268 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


much better — almost like herself in fact. 
Would Christopher sit with her a short time 
while grandmother went to her own room ? 

Jane, who had been sitting up in bed play- 
ing quite happily with her paper dolls, 
dropped back on her pillow when Christopher 
came in and turning her back, refused to speak 
to him. Grandmother had already left the 
room. 

Sit up, Jane,” commanded Christopher, 
closing the door and drawing a small black 
lacquered box from his pocket. 

I won’t,” said Jane flatly. You are a 
horrid, wicked boy and I don’t like you.” 

But you promised.” 

You spoiled grandmother’s trip to town 
and mother ’ll be scared ’most to death when 
she hears I’m too ill to let grandmother 
go.” 

“ I can’t help that. I didn’t know grand- 
mother would stay home when it wasn’t nec- 
essary, and you promised ” 

Grandmother is so disappointed she wants 
to cry all the time,” went on Jane, her lip 
quivering. 

“ You promised ! ” Christopher’s tone was 


STMPTOMS OF MEASLES 269 

growing threatening. '' Hurry up. There 
isn’t much time.” 

I don’t care,” said Jane defiantly. 

** Jane Baker ! Do you mean to say you 
are going to break your promise ? ” 

This was attacking Jane’s vulnerable spot, 
for she prided herself upon always keeping 
her word. She sat up in bed. 

“ But if it’s a wrong promise? ” she asserted 
weakly. 

“ It’s the same promise as when you made 
it,” announced Christopher with calm convic- 
tion, and he approached the bed with the 
small box in his hand. 

Grandmother completed her afternoon toilet 
in something of a hurry, for she thought she 
heard sounds in Jane’s room. 

What is it? ” she asked a little anxiously, 
appearing in the doorway just as Christopher 
opened the door from within. 

Nothing,” he answered. I was just help- 
ing Janey get — get fixed.” 

Grandmother glanced at Jane, lying flat on 
her pillow, her face turned away. 

Don’t you feel as well, Janey? ” she asked 
tenderly, crossing to the bedside quickly. 


2JO LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Jane shook her head without speaking. 
She was white about the lips but her face 
looked red and blotched. Grandmother lifted 
one of the little hands ; it felt hot and fever- 
ish. Huldah entered just then with a daintily 
arrayed supper tray but Jane pushed it aside 
with a shudder. 

I am afraid it is measles/’ grandmother 
said in a low tone aside to Huldah. “ She is 
sick again and see how flushed and broken 
out her face looks. We’d best send Kit away 
somewhere.” 

“ He can go down to the farmhouse,” re- 
plied Huldah promptly. Joshua will see to 
him. I’m going to stay up here nights until 
the child’s better. Where could the precious 
lamb have caught the measles ? I don’t know 
of a case for miles around.” 

Mrs. Baker spent an anxious night for Jane 
tossed and moaned in her sleep in a distress- 
ful way. Several messages had been sent to 
the doctor and grandmother had also sent Jo 
Perkins into Hammersmith with a note to 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, to tell her of the sudden 
illness and to warn Letty against coming out 
to Sunnycrest for fear of contagion. Such a 


STMPTOMS OF MEASLES 271 

dreary home-coming it promised to be for the 
returned travelers ! 

Christopher was decidedly taken aback by 
his banishment. He had not counted on any- 
thing of that sort and remonstrated vigorously. 

“ If it is measles, I don^t see the use in send- 
ing me away now,” he argued. I guess the 
harm^s already done.” 

But grandmother was determined to take 
no risks and sent Christopher off with a hand- 
bag. 

Toward morning Jane became quieter and 
grandmother fell into an exhausted sleep. 
When Jane woke, she tiptoed softly into the 
bath-room, went through her morning bath 
and got back into bed again without disturb- 
ing her grandmother. The blotchy flush had 
entirely left her face and she looked and acted 
perfectly well. Indeed, she appeared quite 
like her usual self, except for a certain look 
of unhappiness which even the thought of 
her mother’s coming could not banish from 
her chubby face. 

Grandmother was surprised to see this sud- 
den change for the better, when she Anally 
awoke, and she sent Jo Perkins speeding 


2J2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

again into the village with a telegram to 
grandfather. But she decided to take no 
chances until Dr. Greene had come and pro- 
nounced the danger of measles really past, so 
Christopher was still held in quarantine at 
the farmhouse at the foot of the hill. 

The doctor was late and took his departure 
only just before the arrival of the travelers. 
He had been puzzled by Jane’s symp- 
toms. 

“ There were evidences of an upset 
stomach,” he said, but not enough to have 
caused fever and a breaking out.” 

She might get up and dress, he added as he 
left, and such a scramble Jane had to get into 
her clothes in time, with one eye on the 
clock ! But she succeeded, and was the first 
to rush into her dear, dear mother’s arms. 

What a day of jubilation it was I What 
wonderful tales of travel ! What wonderful 
presents ! But through it all there was some- 
thing not quite natural about the behavior of 
the children. Christopher’s cheerfulness was 
a little overdone. The look of unhappiness 
still lurked in the depths of Jane’s eyes and 
she very pointedly avoided her brother. 


SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES 273 

If grandmother had not assured me to 
the contrary, I should say the children were 
suffering from a guilty conscience, said Mr. 
Christopher Baker, Jr., to his wife. 

“ Yes,” she agreed. “ And Janey appears 
on the eve of confession. I have noticed two 
or three times that she has been on the point 
of telling me something and Kit has stopped 
her. Do you suppose there can be something 
behind her illness ? ” 

After supper the family were assembled on 
the veranda, and Mrs. Baker, Jr., or Mrs. 
Kit ” as she was generally called — asked about 
Letty. 

We know how interested you both must 
be in Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and Letty,” replied 
grandmother, and so we have planned to 
invite them to Sunnycrest to spend a week. 
They are to come on Monday.” 

Jane and Christopher exchanged sudden, 
startled looks. 

Aren’t we going home on Monday? ” de- 
manded Christopher. 

No, my boy. I have a ten days’ holiday 
and we are going to spend it here, all to- 
gether,” answered his father. 


274r LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Jane burst into tears. 

“ Shut up ! ” whispered Christopher fiercely, 
and reached out a hand to clutch Jane's 
skirts. 

But she was too quick for him and sprang 
to the shelter of her mother’s arms. 

Oh, we needn’t have done it ! We needn’t 
have done it ! ” she wailed. 

Everybody was unspeakably astonished ex- 
cept Christopher, who grew very red in the | 
dusk, squirmed about on his chair, finally i 
rose and muttering something about girls 
being such softies,” ran into the house. 

Oh, mother,” sobbed Jane, “ come over 
here.” 

She drew her mother apart and made her 
sit down. Then standing beside her, the dear 
mother-shoulder ready to hide a shamed face, 
she whispered her story : 

Kit and I thought you and father were 
going to take us right back home to the city, 
and we didn’t want to go, and Kit said if one 
of us was ill or something, that we couldn’t 
go so soon, so he — he made me promise and 
we — I ate a lot of mushy bread and milk and 
drank some warm water and Kit whirled me 


STMPTOMS OF MEASLES zjs 

till I was dizzy and — and grandmother put 
me to bed ; then Kit came up and painted my 
face out of our water-color box and whirled 
me again and grandmother thought it was 
measles. She was scared and she cried because 
she had to give up her trip to the city with 
grandfather to meet you and mother — oh, 
mother, I’m so miserable ! And I have broken 
my promise to Kit, too, ’cause I promised him 
not to tell! ” 

The halting, sobbing whisper ceased and 
Jane, in an agony of weeping, buried her head 
in her mother’s breast. 

Why, Jane I ” exclaimed her mother. 

Why, Janey 1 ” 

After the scolding, the sermon and the 
punishment were over and the children had 
been sent forgiven to bed, the four grown-ups 
went out onto the veranda again. It was a 
soft, balmy night, with no hint of the coming 
autumn in the air. The stars twinkled good- 
humoredly. 

Grandmother, grandfather, mother and 
father all looked at one another for a 
moment ; then — I am sorry to say that then 
they laughed ; laughed until the tears rolled 


276 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

down their cheeks and they had to sit down 
to keep from tipping over. 

But of course Jane and Christopher never 
knew that. 


CHAPTER XX 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and Letty came out 
to Sunnycrest on the following Monday, as 
they had been invited to do, and every one 
spent a happy week. Letty was radiant to 
meet again some one who had seen and known 
her mother, and urged Mrs. Baker, Jr., to tell 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones everything she could re- 
member about the sweet, sad-faced gentle- 
woman who had trained her little daughter 
so carefully and lovingly. 

There were long, long talks among the 
grown-ups, and both grandmother and the 
mother of the twins were confident that Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones had done wisely in making 
Letty her own little girl. 

Letty had asked permission to renew only 
one tie of her past life. 

You have told Mrs. Drake already,” she 
said to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, “ and I should 
277 


278 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

like all my other friends to know, if I could 
reach them. There was dear Miss Reese. 
She was so good to me and my mother one 
winter, and then I never heard from her again, 
nor her cousin, Clara Markham. Indeed, Fve 
even forgotten what Miss Reese^s married 
name is. I have always thought of her as 
Miss Reese. 

Then there was Mrs. Goldberg at Willow 
Grove. She was awfully good-hearted al- 
though she was so fat and homely and dressed 
so badly. But she and Mr. Goldberg went 
out to California just before — before my 
mother died. Mr. Goldberg wanted Ben to 
go out to California with him, but Ben couldnT 
leave mother and me. Perhaps if he had 

gone Letty stopped and her eyes filled 

with tears. “ Perhaps that horrible accident 
wouldn’t have happened ! ” 

Hush, dear Letty — dear little girl,” 
whispered Mrs. Hartwell-Jones tenderly. 

An accident is always likely to happen in 
such a life — so filled with risks and dangers. 
And think how very much more terrible it 
would have been if it had happened far off — 
away from you.” 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 279 

Letty was soon comforted and dried her 
eyes with a little sigh. 

“ But there is one person I can tell my 
happiness’ to/^ she said after rather a long 
silence, “ if I may ? It is Emma Haines, the 
little girl I told you about that lived next door 
when we had rooms in South Front Street. 
I should so like her to know I May I write 
to her ? She lives in New Jersey now, she and 
her mother and Tottie. Such a cunning baby 
Tottie was.’^ 

“ By all means write to her at once,” con- 
sented Mrs. Hartwell-Jones cordially. And 
when we get settled at home in town, you may 
invite her over to see you, if you like.” 

Letty would have liked to take Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones's at once ” literally. Indeed, she 
had already jumped up from her stool and 
crossed to the writing-desk, when Christopher 
appeared at the open door and beckoned to 
her eagerly. The little conversation had taken 
place in Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s room at 
Sunnycrest, and Christopher’s interruption, 
was not a surprise, as the twins gave Letty 
very little time to herself. 

After Letty had run off to join the children, 


28 o lettt and the tjvins 


Mrs. Hartwell-Jones sat lost in thought, con- 
sidering seriously an idea that had come to 
her that morning, suggested by the letter she 
had received from her lawyer. Presently she 
went to consult Grandmother Baker, as she 
generally did upon nearly all matters nowa- 
days. She found her in her own room, going 
over the week’s mending. 

“ Mrs. Baker, I am thinking of taking a 
short journey,” she began. But you are 
busy, I see. I am afraid I shall disturb you.” 

Grandmother hastened to assure her that 
she was not interrupting. 

Indeed, it will help me very much to be 
talked to,” she replied. “ It will help me to 
keep my mind off the terrific size of the holes 
in Kit’s stockings. Just look at this ! ” And 
she held up a long brown stocking with a 
great gaping tear in the knee. “ You say you 
think of taking a short journey,” she ex- 
claimed in surprise. You don’t think of 
leaving us before the end of your visit, I 
hope ? ” she added anxiousl3^ 

‘‘ Only for two days, if you will excuse us. I 
think of taking Lett}^ with me. But I would 
like your opinion ; whether you think it 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 281 


would please and interest Letty, or only dis- 
tress her with sad memories.’’ 

Mrs. Baker looked up curiously. 

“ I am thinking of going down to Phila- 
delphia for a day,” explained Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones. There are certain records that my 
lawyer wishes to look up, concerning Letty’s 
baptism and the exact date of her father’s 
death. I should like, too, to call on the 
minister, if we can find him, in whose parish 
Mrs. Grey lived at that time. 

And I thought possibly it might interest 
Letty to revisit some of the places where she 
used to live. Or do you think it might rouse 
sad memories in the child’s heart and make 
her unhappy ? Do you think it would be a 
hard experience ? ” 

It might sadden the dear child a bit for 
the moment,” answered grandmother ; “ but 
the sadness cannot last long, remembering 
what the future holds for her, and I think it 
would be very good for her, Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones, to go over the old scenes and impress 
them upon her mind, since her life from now 
on is to be so very different.” 

I am glad you agree with me, Mrs. Baker. 


2%2 LETTT AND THE TWINS 


Then, since that is settled, will it interfere 
with your plans in any way to have us go to- 
morrow ? ” 

Mrs. Baker smiled. 

“ Not with me, dear Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. 
Choose your own time and convenience. But 
I am afraid the children will raise a very 
dreadful outcry.” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones smiled too, in recollec- 
tion of all the mysterious whisperings and 
private interviews that had been going on 
among the children. 

I think they can spare Letty for two days,” 
she laughed. We shall be back the day 
after, you know.” 

Letty received the news of the proposed 
journey with mingled feelings. How odd it 
would seem to go back to Philadelphia, to 
revive the scenes and memories of the old 
life, which seemed gone forever. 

Letty was afraid it might make her un- 
happy to visit again the places where she had 
lived with her dear, dear mother. She said 
nothing of all this to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, 
and tried her best not to let her see that she 
felt it, but entered into plans very eagerly 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 283 

and drove Punch and Judy into the village 
after the noonday dinner to get time-tables. 

It was discovered that the only convenient 
train to Philadelphia passed through Ham- 
mersmith in the afternoon, not reaching Phila- 
delphia until after dark. And the return trip 
must be taken even later in the day. 

Of course we can do nothing the evening 
we reach there,’’ said Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, 
** but it will give us nearly a whole day before 
starting back, which is all the time I shall need. 

But we shall arrive at Hammersmith very 
late in the evening, Mr. Baker,” she added. 
“ Don’t you think it would be better for Letty 
and me to stop overnight at our own rooms 
in the village? It will take Joshua and the 
horses out so late, to come to meet us.” 

Indeed, no. Josh won’t mind a little 
evening jaunt. We may all come, for the 
matter of that, for the sake of a moonlight 
ride.” 

And so Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and Letty 
started off. It was all very strange and odd 
to Letty. She could not get used to the 
parlor-car. She had traveled a good deal in 
her time, during her three years with Mr. 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 

Drake’s circus, but never, of course, in such 
comfort and luxury. It was like living in a 
different world. 

Philadelphia, too, was like a completely dif- 
ferent city. It was quite dark when they 
arrived and the confusion and brilliance of 
the big, busy station quite overwhelmed Letty. 
The streets were totally unfamiliar. She had 
been in that part of the city very seldom and 
never at night. The comfort and delightful 
motion of the taxicab charmed her and she 
became completely absorbed in watching the 
register, illumined by a tiny electric light. 

“ What does it make you think of, dear?” 
asked Mrs. Hartwell- Jones as the taxicab was 
steered smoothly and dexterously in and out 
of the stream of traffic. 

“ Oh, I don’t know. It is all so mysteri- 
ous, this going along and along without any- 
thing to take us,” replied Letty. “ But then, 
after all, it isn’t so very different from a 
trolley-car, is it, except that there are no 
tracks. Ah, the thing has dropped again ! 

1 What do you suppose makes it? You say 
the man does not push it,” and she studied 
the metre with puzzled eyes. 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 285 

The ride was very short and the hotel at 
which they stopped very magnificent. A 
meal was served to them in their own room, 
for it was too late to dress and go down-stairs 
to the restaurant ; and after it was over, Letty 
spent the hour until bedtime at the open 
window, watching the rushing stream of peo- 
ple pour by below, in carriages or motors and 
on foot, ascending or descending from trolley- 
cars and entering or leaving the big hotel. 
All the while she asked herself over and over : 

Is this Philadelphia ? Is this really Phila- 
delphia where I used to live ? ” 

Her sense of strangeness and bewilderment 
did not leave her next morning, for Mr. Shoe- 
maker, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones^s lawyer, having 
come over from New York by appointment to 
join them, the three took another taxicab and 
drove out to West Philadelphia. This part 
of the city was even stranger to Letty than 
the portion about the station, for she had 
been only a baby, too young to remember any 
impressions, when her mother, Ben and she 
had moved down-town ; and she had never 
revisited that part of the city at all. 

She did not understand exactly what was 


286 LEXrr AND THE TWINS 


the errand upon which Mrs. Hart well- Jones 
and the lawyer were bent, and while they 
consulted huge books and parish registers, 
she wandered about the yard of the big col- 
lege where her father had been a teacher, 
looking up at the high buildings with their 
rows and rows of windows, and thinking how 
jolly it must be to be a boy and go to college. 

“ But there are girls’ colleges, too,” she re- 
flected. Perhaps Mrs. Hartwell-Jones will 
let me go to one when I am old enough — or 
know enough. Oh, dear, I am sorry I am so 
far behind other girls in my classes. I mean 
to work terribly hard. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
has helped me a lot this summer and perhaps 
it won’t matter so much, my being behind, at 
a private school.” 

When Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and Mr. Shoe- 
maker joined Letty, a kind-faced old clergy- 
man accompanied them, who patted Letty on 
the cheek and exclaimed : 

“Bless me, is this the baby? How time 
does fly, to be sure. You are a fortunate 
little lady, Letitia. Good-morning, all of 
you.” 

After luncheon at the hotel, Mr. Shoemaker 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 287 

talked business with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones for 
half an hour or so, then departed again for 
New York. Mrs. Hartwell-Jones ordered still 
another taxicab. 

We have over two hours before our train 
leaves, dear, and so suppose we drive about to 
the different places you know about. Would 
you like to? Do you remember the street 
and number where your Miss Reese used to 
live? 

Letty gave the address, which was quite 
near by, and as they drove past the house 
she related again, with eager interest, the ex- 
citing tale of the fire. Then they were driven 
down Chestnut Street and Letty's eyes shone 
as they passed the shops she recollected hav- 
ing visited with Miss Reese on the memorable 
Christmas shopping expedition. 

** Is this where you had your first taste of 
ice-cream soda-water?’^ asked Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones as the cab stopped in front of a large 
candy shop. “ Then we must have some now, 
for old times’ sake. And let us take a box of 
candy back to the twins.” 

They did a good deal of shopping, of one 
sort or another, and then Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 


LETTT AND THE TWINS 


gave the chauffeur a direction that made him 
stare. It brought the tears to Letty’s eyes 
suddenly and a great lump to her throat. 

Far down-town they drove, out of the range 
of stylishly equipped carriages and motor 
cars ; out of the range of big shops and smooth 
streets. The pavement grew rougher and 
dirtier, the houses and small shops that lined 
the street, shabbier and shabbier. 

Letty leaned forward out of the carriage 
window, her eyes large, curious, almost fright- 
ened, fixed on each familiar spot as it was 
passed. She clasped her hands tightly to- 
gether and drew her breath in short, audible 
inspirations. 

“ Ah, there is the house, there it is ! she 
exclaimed at length, and Mrs. Hartwell-Jones 
gave the signal to stop. 

The cab came to a halt at the curb, the 
motor continuing to throb with an even, busi- 
nesslike regularity. 

The little motor inside Letty’s small body 
was throbbing too, wildly, now fast and now 
slow, as she gazed at the shabby, dingy house 
that had been her home. It looked shabbier 
and dingier than ever, and there were neither 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 289 

fresh muslin curtains nor blooming plants at 
the third-story front windows where her 
mother used to sit and sew. 

No familiar faces were to be seen. Several 
people went in and out of the front door, turn- 
ing to stare curiously at the lady and little 
girl sitting in the motor car. But Letty had 
never seen any of them before. There were 
children playing on the door-step next door, 
but they were not Emma Haines nor Tottie. 
It all seemed completely changed. 

'' Oh, dear ! sighed Letty. 

Then she turned and threw herself into Mrs. 
Hartwell- Jones’s outstretched arms. 

My mother, my mother ! ” she sobbed. 

How I want my mother ! ” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones soothed her as best she 
could, wondering the while if she had done 
wrong to bring back the old associations. 

“ I know it is hard, dear little girl,” she 
whispered, but I think some day you will 
be glad we came. It will help to fix the 
picture in your mind. It keeps our memories 
fresher and more precious, you know, if we 
have the pictures of their surroundings clearly 
in our mind. 


2()o LETTT AND THE TWINS 

'‘Take one last look, dear, and then we 
shall go. I pray I may be able to keep you 
as good and happy as your dear mother did, 
my precious little Letty ! 

The cab moved slowly, with increasing 
speed, away from the dingy street, back to the 
gay, prosperous part of the citj^ ; back to the 
life that was to be Letty^s henceforth. 

The child’s sobs soon ceased and she drew 
back from the comforting shoulder. But she 
still clung to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s hand for 
solace, and there were tears in the brown eyes 
that tried bravely to smile. 

“ You are so good to me ! ” she exclaimed. 
“ My mother would be so grateful to you if 
she knew ! ” 

“ She does know, up in heaven. I am sure 
she does, Letty, dear. And we shall both do 
our best to keep good and happy, shall we 
not? for that would please her best. 

“ And Letty dear, while we are on the sub- 
ject, may I speak about something else re- 
garding you and me ? What do you want to 
call me, child ? Have you thought about it 
at all ? You know you can’t go on calling me 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones,” she added with a little 


OLD SCENES AGAIN 291 

laugh, to aid Letty’s embarrassment. “ How 
would ‘ Aunt Mary ' do ? 

Letty looked up shyly. 

“ I think that would be perfectly beauti- 
ful ! ” she ejaculated with a happy sigh. “ If 
it is what you would like ? she added 
hastily. 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones would have liked a 
sweeter, more intimate title, but she guessed 
that Letty would find it too hard to confer 
the beloved name of mother upon any one 
else ; so she accepted the other and they were 
both satisfied and contented. 

‘ Aunt Mary,’ ” whispered Letty again and 
again. “ It is a beautiful name and just like 
yourself, Mrs. Hart — I mean Aunt Mary,” she 
added tremulously. 


CHAPTER XXI 


CONCLUSION 

The twins greeted Letty's return tumultu- 
ously. They had been very indignant over 
her journey and had considered it most un- 
necessary and thoughtless of Mrs. Hartwell- 
Jones to take Letty away at such a critical 
time, thus threatening to upset all their plans. 
But two days were not so very long. 

You almost spoiled everything, but only 
almost, so it's all right," said Jane magnani- 
mously. 

“ We did a lot of practicing," added Christo- 
pher with his mouth full of chocolate, “ and 
this is bully candy, thank you." 

We've kept the secret splendidly and not 
a soul knows anything except those who are 
in it," went on Jane importantly. 

In fact, the children were planning an im- 
mense surprise for the celebration of the last 
evening at Sunnycrest. The great scheme 
292 


CONCLUSION 


293 

was Christopher’s idea, and he found some 
difficulty at first in persuading Letty to take 
her part in it. She consented at length, 
partly for the fun of it, partly because she was 
so happy that she wanted to do whatever any 
one asked her to do. 

A great mystery pervaded the place — a 
mystery which the grown-ups had to be very 
careful at times not to see through, for the 
children found it hard, in their joy and ex- 
citement, not to betray secrets. Billy Car- 
penter was included in the affair, and he and 
Christopher spent hours every day in the hay- 
loft, rehearsing some private performance 
which resulted in a good deal of thumping 
and an occasional hard bump. They also did 
a great deal of hammering and sawing, which 
employment demanded frequent calls upon 
Jo Perkins’s time and even upon Joshua’s 
valuable moments. 

Letty and Jane were busy, too, in Jane’s 
room, snipping and sewing away at costumes. 
They made an unexplained trip into the 
village one morning in the pony carriage. 
Jane had her allowance and Letty was enjoy- 
ing the unexpected, undreamed-of thrill of 


2()^ LETTr AND THE TWINS 

possessing her own spending money. On 
their return they smuggled their packages up 
to Jane’s room and confided their purchases to 
no one but Christopher. 

It was evening of the last day of the de- 
lightful Sunnycrest house-party. By general 
request supper was an hour earlier than usual 
and none of the children — not even Chris- 
topher and Billy Carpenter — ate very much. 
They were in a constant fidget to have the 
meal come to an end. Indeed, the two boys 
excused themselves before it was over and 
rushed out to help Jo Perkins complete the 
final arrangements. 

When the grown-ups went out to sit on the 
veranda as usual, they found a transformation. 
The front lawn had been turned into a circus 
ring by means of a low, rather wobbly circu- 
lar railing. An inner railing was staked out 
with string so as to form a track. Although 
the autumn daylight still lingered, thanks to 
Huldah’s promptness with the early supper, 
Joshua had stationed four large stable lanterns 
at intervals around the ring and Jo Perkins 
had strung festoons of gay Japanese lanterns, 
left over from the Fourth of July, along the 


CONCLUSION 


295 

edge of the railing. The veranda chairs had 
been placed in a row on the driveway, facing 
this ring. 

As the party seated themselves, Chris- 
topher’s head could be seen every few seconds, 
bobbing around the corner of the house. 
Huldah and the two housemaids came out 
and stood on the veranda and Joshua joined 
them. 

When every one had assembled Chris- 
topher, in rather an extraordinary costume 
composed of a long mackintosh, boots much 
too big for him and a silk hat of his grand- 
father’s — with a false band inside to make it 
fit — strutted into the ring. The long whip he 
carried proclaimed his character as ring- 
master. He mounted on an inverted keg, 
evidently put there for the purpose. 

Ladies and gentlemen,” he began in a 
loud voice, which he tried to make deep and 
impressive, we hope you will all enjoy our 
circus, for we have worked very hard to get it 
ready.” Great applause from the audience, 
which rather disconcerted the youthful man- 
ager. We have decided not to have a per- 
cession,” he went on in a more natural voice. 


2g6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

“ because that would show all our — our acts, 
and we want to keep the different things we 
are going to do a secret until you see them. 
We hope you will enjoy it as — oh, I said that 
before. Ah — oh — thank you, ladies and 
gentlemen, for your attention. We’ll be 
ready in a minute,” and with an abrupt little 
bow Christopher jumped off the box and 
clumped away in his big boots at an awkward 
run. 

After a very short interval of waiting he 
appeared again, this time airily attired in a 
striped bathing suit, in lieu of tights, followed 
by Billy Carpenter in like costume. 

Oh, I hope they won’t take cold. For- 
tunately it’s a warm night,” murmured Chris- 
topher’s mother. 

The two boys capered into the ring and pro- 
ceeded to show off the results of their week of 
practicing and labor. They turned hand- 
springs and stood on their heads ; Billy walked 
a short distance on his hands and Christopher 
turned a back somersault landing, a little to 
every one’s surprise, including his own, on his 
feet. Then they jumped and tumbled to- 
gether, performing fantastic feats at leap-frog. 


CONCLUSION 


297 

They were very quick and agile and really 
rather clever. 

The audience was most appreciative and 
encored them again and^again. When they 
had finally retired, with many bows and 
flourishes Jane appeared dressed in a long full 
skirt of flowered muslin — one of her grand- 
mother’s, shortened — a white kerchief crossed 
on her breast and a quaint little cap on her 
head. She carried her doll Sally in her 
arms. 

Letty’s handiwork,” whispered Mrs. Hart- 
well- Jones proudly as she surveyed the cos- 
tume. 

In her sweet, piping voice Jane recited 

Beautiful Grandma.” The audience clapped 
and clapped and called “ encore ” again and 
again but the piece was long and had taxed 
shy little Jane’s powers. She shook her head 
as she gave her cunning little bob of a curtsey 
and finally called : 

I don’t know anything else that would go 
with this costume and besides, I have to get 

dressed for ” She stopped and ran off, 

laughing. 

There was a slight pause and then Christo- 


2gi LETTT AND THE TWINS 

pher reappeared in his costume as ringmaster. 
Again he mounted the keg and made another 
speech, cracking his whip to secure attention. 

“ Ladies and gentlemen,” he shouted im- 
pressively, ‘‘ we have made arrangements for 
a rare treat for you all this evening. I wish 
to announce the only and positively the last 
public performance of Punch and Judy I All 
right, bring ’em along. Perk.” 

Jo Perkins appeared in sight around the 
corner of the house leading the Shetland 
ponies. They were literally covered with 
wreaths and festoons of goldenrod and wild 
asters. The little carriage to which they were 
harnessed was decorated in the same manner 
and Letty, sitting enthroned on the seat, was 
dressed, not in the imitation Roman toga she 
had worn under Mr. Drake’s direction, but in 
a short white frock such as she had worn at 
Willow Grove when she had first exhibited 
the ponies for Mr. Goldberg. She had on 
long pink stockings and white tennis shoes — 
a result of the shopping trip — and carried a 
long wand wrapped in silver paper. A crown 
of silver paper, with a bunch of flowers at the 
sides, completed her costume. 


CONCLUSION 


299 

“ That is exactly the way she was dressed 
when I saw her at Willow Grove/’ Mrs. Baker, 
Jr., whispered to Mrs. HartwelhJones. 

“ Poor child, do you suppose she will miss 
the old life, with its constant change and ex- 
citement ? ” asked Mrs. Hartwell-Jones a little 
wistfully. 

“ I am quite sure she will not. See how 
happy she has been this summer. And her 
blessed mother would be so thankful to know 
she had been saved from it. She did not like 
Letty’s occupation ; she told me so herself, and 
always went to the theatre with her as long 
as she was able. Afterward she sent a maid. 
Dear little Letty, how she must have missed 
her mother’s care ! But the lack of it has not 
harmed her, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. She is as 
sweet and gentle-hearted as ever.” 

They turned their attention to the little 
performer. Letty had unharnessed the ponies 
and in response to a hearty burst of applause 
led them forward, one on each side, and all 
three bowed in a most fascinating manner. 
Then Punch and Judy went through their 
simple tricks as accurately and docilely as if 
they had performed them regularly twice 


^oo LETTT AND THE TWINS 

every day all summer. Christopher, sitting 
on his keg which he had moved to one side, 
played “ Listen to the Mocking-Bird ’’ on a 
mouth-organ for an orchestra. 

But, contrary to the expectations of the 
audience, the showing off of Punch and Judy 
did not complete the entertainment. Billy 
Carpenter took Christopher’s place at the 
mouth-organ and Letty dropped down out of 
sight behind a little screen of bushes near by, 
while Jo Perkins reharnessed the ponies and 
drove them off. 

Perk reappeared in a few moments pushing 
a wheelbarrow in which reposed a large crate. 
He was followed by Jane, who was dressed this 
time in Betty’s Roman toga. She carried her 
two largest dolls, which she placed in two 
small chairs facing the ring. Then Jo 
Perkins, with some effort, lifted the crate from 
the wheelbarrow, and opening this improvised 
cage released a monster that leapt to the 
ground with a truly blood-curdling growl. 
The audience really looked a little startled. 
The strange animal was clothed in shaggy 
black fur and waved a pair of forelegs that 
ended in alarming looking claws. 


CONCLUSION 


301 

“ My best bearskin rug out of the cam- 
phor chest/’ whispered grandmother in a voice 
choked with laughter. “ Kit must have 
coaxed Huldah to lend it to him. How well 
he has fastened it on. How do you suppose 
he manages to hide his face so cleverly ? ” 

Gravely, Jane proceeded to put the clumsy 
bear through his tricks. But the animal was 
unruly and growled and threatened his trainer 
in quite a fearsome way. At length he turned 
and shambled, growling fiercely all the while, 
straight toward the audience. He stopped as 
he perceived the two children (the dolls), stiff 
and immovable in their chairs, sniffed the 
air a moment and then charged them with a 
terrific roar. The trainer screamed, threw 
aside her toga and assuming the character of 
fond mamma rushed forward, clasped the 
dolls to her breast and shrieked for help. Up 
rose Letty, like a good fairy in her filmy white 
frock, and bounding across the ring flung a 
cover, which looked suspiciously like one of 
Huldah’s kitchen aprons, over the infuriated 
bear. After a long, exciting tussle (and some 
suppressed laughter) in which Jane and Billy 
Carpenter joined, the bear was subdued and 


^02 LETTY AND THE TWINS 

bundled into his cage, from which he popped 
out at once to respond with the others to the 
peal upon peal of applause from the highly 
amused audience. 

Poor Mrs. Baker, Jr., did not know whether 
to laugh or cry, and eased her feelings by doing 
a little of each. 

“ It was so exactly like the real thing,’^ she 
whispered to grandmother wiping her eyes. 
“ My poor, precious little lambs ! ” 

During the confusion that followed, audi- 
ence and performers all talking together, 
grandmother saw Huldah and the maids dis- 
appear indoors. Huldah wore such an air of 
mystery and importance that grandmother 
immediately suspected that refreshments were 
to complete the programme. 

It was quite dark by now and a little chilly 
as well, and the grown-ups suggested going 
indoors to talk over the grand affair. Where- 
upon Christopher bounded ahead to make 
sure a certain door was shut and ushered 
everybody into the parlor. Before many 
minutes had passed, however, every one was 
summoned to the dining-room. There the 
table (wliich it seemed to all the grown-ups 


CONCLUSION 


303 

had only just been cleared from supper) was 
loaded down with every delicacy that the 
fertile minds of the twins could suggest and 
Huldah concoct. 

Kit had a voice in the planning of this 
menu, V\l be bound, said that young gentle- 
man’s father with a laugh. 

“ Surely,” agreed his wife, “ and I noticed 
that he did not eat quite as much supper as 
usual this evening. I felt anxious at the 
time, but now I understand ; he was saving 
up.” 

Of course I was,” admitted Christopher 
frankly. What fellow wouldn’t save up 
when he knew what was coming?” 

Who, indeed? The only objection I have 
to make is that you didn’t warn me, and give 
me a chance to save up, too,” answered his 
father gravely. 

I am concerned about only one thing,” 
said Mrs. Hartwell- Jones to grandfather, as 
they sat side by side at the table. “ I don’t 
know what to do with Punch and Judy dur- 
ing the winter. I can hardly take them to 
the city with me.” 

“ Why not let me keep them out here?” 


LEITT AND THE TWINS 

proposed grandfather promptly. There is 
plenty of room and to spare. Then when you 
decide where to spend next summer I can 
have them shipped to you.’^ 

“ But Letty and I are coming back to Ham- 
mersmith next summer,” replied Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones quickly. “ We are so devoted to 
the dear place, and you all have been such 
kind friends to us, that we want to spend as 
many summers here as possible.” 

Every one looked pleased at this news and 
the twins set up a shout of joy. 

“Then we’ll see Punch and Judy again, 
and have some more jolly rides,” they 
cried. 

“ And we’ll have Letty again, too, and Mrs. 
Hartwell-Jones,” added Jane. “Just think, 
Letty, if we hadn’t seen the ponies that day 
after the circus, and thought about ’em for 
Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and her lame fooL you 
might never have known her.” 

“ It is you, you dear, precious child, and 
your thoughtfulness that gave me Letty,” 
exclaimed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, catching Jane 
up in an ardent, unexpected embrace — rather 
disconcerting to the big piece of chocolate 


CONCLUSION 


305 

cake which Jane was holding suspended be- 
tween plate and mouth during her little 
speech. 

Dear Mrs. Baker, went on the lady 
who wrote books, turning to Jane’s mother, 
“ of course you have heard from all the 
family the story of Jane’s idea of having 
Letty drive the ponies out here so that she 
might gratify her desire of seeing a poor, 
modest writer of books ; and afterward how 
Jane’s sweet desire to help Letty find suitable 
work to do gave me the opportunity of know- 
ing and gaining possession of my daugh- 
ter I ” 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones spoke the words with 
great pride, and Letty ran across to her em- 
brace. Then Mrs. Hartwell-Jones took a 
small parcel out of her work-bag. 

Will you give me permission to make 
Janey a small gift, Mrs. Baker, to show her 
how happy and grateful I am ? ” 

She undid the parcel and revealed a small 
jeweler’s box. She opened this in turn and 
lifted out something small and glittering. 
Kneeling in front of the pleased, astonished 
Jane, she slipped a slender, shining chain of 


^o6 LETTT AND THE TWINS 

gold over her head and kissed the smiling, 
rosy mouth. 

Oh, cricky ! ejaculated Christopher, his 
voice tingling with a faint note of envy. 

His eyes were big with surprise and excite- 
ment. 

Jane followed the direction of his gaze and 
looked down at what she supposed was a 
locket on the end of her chain. It was a tiny 
gold watch, ticking merrily. It had a pretty, 
open face and Jane’s initials engraved on the 
back. 

Oh, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, dear Mrs. Hart- 
well-Jones, is it really for me ! ” she gasped. 

Oh, how much you must love Letty I ’’ 

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones laughed, but the laugh 
was checked in the middle by a little sob. 
She turned and held out her arms again to 
Letty. 

“ My little girl, my little girl I ” she whis- 
pered brokenly. 

Jane ran to her own dear mother’s arms, 
and grandmother caught hold of one chubby 
hand. They all cried a wee bit, too — in silent 
sympathy for the lonely woman and lonely 
child who had found each other. 


CONCLUSION 


307 

Oh, shucks ! exclaimed Christopher un- 
comfortably. 

He turned his back on the womenfolk and 
helped himself and Billy to another piece of 
cake. 


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